Dan Azeez at all times imagines being knocked down: ‘I need to really feel that adversity. These dire moments, I like it’ | Boxing Information

Earlier than an important combat of a boxer’s profession, they’re going to image themselves at work. Most fighters will consider themselves at their greatest, boxing to the precise gameplan, sticking to the whole lot they labored so exhausting to excellent in camp. However Dan Azeez is totally different.

He footage himself hitting the deck, struggling, and battling again.

“It is so bizarre,” he admitted.

“I at all times think about myself getting knocked down however having to get off the ropes and knock out the man. I do not know why. Each combat I am at all times like that. So I construct like a monster out of my opponent.

“I at all times visualise, possibly he is outboxing me and I’ve obtained to modify it up, change it up. Perhaps I am shedding and within the final second I knock him out. That is what I visualise.”

It’s an uncommon strategy to psychological facet of the game. He would not spend an excessive amount of of his time in constructive pondering.

“You have to suppose it and develop into it or no matter, no. I like to think about the exhausting street, ‘It isn’t going to be simple, Dan’,” Azeez instructed Sky Sports activities.

“Boxing, you by no means know. You may need to indicate a little bit of guts to get to the glory. Not I am simply going to field excellent, no. Generally I need to really feel that adversity and should do one thing additional.”

That is one thing he relishes. “To come back again and really cease the man, that is such an important factor to do. These dire moments, I like it,” he mentioned.

“It is advisable to put together your self for the worst. And if it is not as unhealthy, it is win, win.”

To this point in his skilled profession although he hasn’t come near hitting the deck.

“The primary time I’ve ever touched canvas was in my first beginner combat. My first one I obtained stopped early. Early. Perhaps 30 seconds or one minute,” he mentioned. “I used to be fuming, embarrassed.

“However that is the one time.”

He added: “I am one in every of them guys, if one thing would not go my manner, I am very cussed, I am like no I’ve to try to get this proper. I’ve to study this. That is what I’ve obtained in my head.

“However I do know for certain if I hadn’t carried on nobody would begrudge me. [They’d think:] ‘Honest sufficient Dan, that clearly wasn’t for you,'” he laughed.

After a humble starting, Azeez’s single-minded strategy has paid dividends. He is gained English, British and Commonwealth titles already.

On Saturday he’ll tackle Thomas Faure for the European light-heavyweight title in Paris, reside on Sky Sports activities.

It is one other belt that’s vastly essential to him.

“You have had individuals like Max Schmeling [who won this title in 1927]. He beat Joe Louis however clearly Joe Louis smashed him within the rematch. You have obtained John Conteh from Liverpool. There’s some massive names which have gained that title. It is a prestigious belt, it is one other prestigious belt that I am making an attempt to get,” Azeez mentioned.

It is also a bout that can be essential within the Londoner’s growth. “We have got to recover from the hurdle this Saturday earlier than we begin wanting wherever else. It’s a very important step for me,” he mentioned.

“Individuals try to bounce a step after which they get discovered wanting. I by no means, ever need to be able the place if I lose it is ‘as a result of he lacked expertise’ or ‘he wasn’t prepared’. It must be I misplaced to the higher man, plain and easy. That is one factor I try to eradicate out of my profession.”

Azeez faces this take a look at in Faure’s residence nation. “We’re in enemy territory. That is what you have to do typically. You have to go abroad to get what you need,” he mentioned.

“I am positively not somebody to try to tiptoe round my method to the highest. No, that will not give me no satisfaction. I am popping out to France, I need to really feel that animosity from Faure’s followers.

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“I need to be entertaining, I do not need to be in boring combat,” he continued. “Even when it is me being hit I need to hear that ‘ooh, aah,’ screaming, all that sort of factor.

“I like fights that present adversity, the place somebody is like shedding, they’ve needed to actually dig deep and win.

“These are the fights that I actually get pleasure from.”

In opposition to Faure on Saturday, Azeez is able to do no matter it takes.

Watch Azeez vs Faure and the heavyweight clash between Tony Yoka and Carlos Takam, as well as Olympic gold medallist Lauren Price live on Sky Sports on March 11.