Adam Azim was due for another showing of his ferocious talent this Friday night at York Hall, Bethnal Green, but his headline slot was scrapped due to a hand injury, so Frazer Clarke steps in to the main event slot, in an eight rounder at heavyweight against Poland’s Mariusz Wach.
BOXXER promote Clarke vs Wach and Sky Sports televise live in the UK.
2020 Olympic Bronze medallist, Clarke (6-0, 5 KOs) is a man in a hurry as a professional, but his handlers were criticised for pulling out of a British title purse bid against Fabio Wardley to pursue other challenges.
The Burton man has only been the distance once, and been out twice in 2023 already, retiring Kevin Espindola in four in January, and Bogdan Dinu in two in March.
Former world title challenger, Wach (37-9, 20 KOs) is next in the firing line. The 43-year-old lost widely on points to Wladimir Klitschko in 2012 in a unified title bid, and has lost four of his last six, including to British duo Dillian Whyte and Hughie Fury.
He is coming off a low-key fifth round stoppage of Jakub Sosinski in March.
Prediction: Clarke will want to blast Wach out and move on with his career, and that’s exactly what’s likely to happen here. I favour Wach to fall as soon as Clarke lands cleanly, which could be within the first two rounds.
McKenna meets Lima
Top talent Aaron McKenna (16-0, 8 KOs) goes for the vacant WBC International middleweight title on this bill, and he can end the unbeaten start of Angola’s Uisma Lima (10-0, 8 KOs) inside their scheduled ten rounds.
Dubois faces Lescano
Caroline Dubois (6-0, 5 KOs) is on the cusp of a world title shot, and she may need all eight rounds to see off the challenge of Argentina’s Yanina del Carmen Lescano (13-2, 4 KOs) on the scorecards at lightweight.
Remaining Undercard
English super welterweight champion, Sam Gilley (15-1, 7 KOs) makes a first appearance of 2023, and he should have too much over six for Ellis Corrie (7-1-1, 2 KOs) in what should be a six round points win.
Isaac Chamberlain (14-2, 8 KOs) was left without a fight after his bout with Mikael Lawal on recent Bournemouth show fell out, and he should take his frustration out on late-replacement and former European title challenger, Dylan Bregeon (13-3-1, 3 KOs) with a points win in their eight rounder scheduled at cruiserweight.
Also at cruiserweight, Viddal Riley stopped Anees Taj (7-3, 5 KOs) on the advice of the doctor in the fourth, and the rematch should see Riley (8-0, 5 KOs) take a cleaner, early win this time around.
Two days to go! @IsitRIL sizes up @RealAneesTaj with an intense staredown 😤💥#BOXXERLondon | 16.06.23 | York Hall | @SkySportsBoxing @Everlast_ pic.twitter.com/eKH6Z0yxyh
— BOXXER (@boxxer) June 14, 2023
Hassan Azim (6-0, 3 KOs) is in action, and the welterweight can outscore Ruben Angulo (8-6-2, 4 KOs) over six, and Tyson Fury’s brother, Roman Fury (1-0) should do the same over four at cruiserweight against Erik Nazaryan (29-32-4, 22 KOs).
Joshua Gustave (4-0) can extend his unbeaten record with a points win over Remi Scholer (3-5) in their middleweight contest.
