Adam Azim is in action on the BBC on Saturday night, and our man Chris Oliver is backing him to come through his bout with the experienced Steve Claggett.
Boxing betting tips: Saturday May 30
2pts Adam Azim to win in rounds 7-12 at 13/8 (Ladbrokes, Coral)
2pts O'Shaquie Foster to win by decision at 11/10 (QuinnBet)
Adam Azim makes his BBC2 debut on Saturday night as he puts his unbeaten record on the line against Steve Claggett.
Promoter Ben Shalom is still in the early days of his deal with the BBC and has yet to see his star name fight on the channel, but that all changes this weekend and Azim will be keen to make up for lost time in his first outing of the year.
One of the brightest prospects in world boxing, Azim (14-0, 11 KOs) is a 1/8 favourite to overcome Claggett (40-8-2, 28 KOs), a Canadian who has been around for some time, and he can be backed at 13/2 here.
Durable Claggett a test for Azim
It’s just under two years since Claggett challenged Teofimo Lopez for the WBO super lightweight title in Miami and even though he lost every round of that tough assignment, he showed his durability once again by going the distance.
The 36-year-old has only been stopped once in his eight defeats and even that came in the last session of an eight-rounder way back in 2011, so he is expected to give Azim some good rounds but without posing too much of a serious threat.
The 2/1 about Azim winning a decision is tempting but the Slough native has been getting some veterans at seemingly the right time of late, and it could be a similar scenario with Claggett.
Ohara Davies (KO8) and Sergey Lipinets (TKO9) were both former world title challengers who seemed dangerous for Azim on paper, but it didn’t prove that way in the ring as both men looked to be coming down the other side of the mountain by the time they faced ‘The Assassin’.
Azim was last seen stopping Kurt Scoby in the 12th and final round of their contest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November and that was another impressive performance from the Brit.
What are the bets bets?
He has now won each of his last three outings in the second half of the fight and that could be the way to go again here, with Azim to win in rounds 7-12 at 13/8 making much more appeal than the anytime stoppage at 4/6.
Azim still has lightning quick hands and rapid reflexes, so his speed advantage should be very evident against the veteran here, but there is more to him than that and he has become a much more rounded fighter in recent outings.
Azim has made great progress under top coach Shane McGuigan and is less gung-ho now. He takes his time more and picks his shots much better, while he has also improved his defence and that could be a worry for Claggett.
As is the prospect of further improvement from Azim, which is very possible given his age and after only 14 fights.
Claggett is game and durable, so he is unlikely to be going anywhere early doors, and this could be competitive in the opening quarter as Azim takes his time. However, as they reach the middle rounds, I expect the fight to open up and for Azim to start finding the target with his whipping hooks and sharp right hands.
Once he starts landing the heavy stuff with regularity, Azim can break his man down gradually for a late stoppage.
This is another good opportunity for Azim to showcase his impressive skills and confirm that he is now ready for a world title shot.
Foster to earn decision over Ford
In the early hours of Sunday morning, there is a big fight in the US on DAZN as O'Shaquie Foster defends his WBC super featherweight titles against fellow American Raymond Ford.
Ford has still only lost once in 19 outings, when dropping his featherweight world title to Nick Ball by a split decision two years ago, and has won all three of his fights since moving up to 130lbs.
Ford is a skilled sharp-shooter from the southpaw stance who boxes very well on the back foot and is just a 7/5 chance to claim a second world title here.
When @OshaquieFoster showed he's built on GRIT 🔥🍿#FosterFord | MAY 30 | LIVE on @DAZN pic.twitter.com/1SFcwVSp1z
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) May 27, 2026
However, he isn’t big for the weight, and could have his hands full in against the more natural super featherweight, Foster, who is a top price of 7/10.
Foster (24-3, 12KOS) has hit some real form on his last two outings, having avenged his narrow defeat to Robson Conceicao with a split decision victory, before putting in a superb performance to outbox Stephen Fulton in December.
Fulton had only previously lost to the great Naoya Inoue and was expected to be a huge test for Foster, but the latter boxed beautifully that night and won a wide decision.
Neither man is a huge puncher, and this is widely expected to go the distance, a theory backed up by the 1/4 on offer for us to hear the final bell.
Foster has an excellent jab and that can negate the speed and counterpunching of Ford early doors, while the natural size advantage of the former can begin to tell as the fight goes on.
The favourite is fancied to outbox his man for another decision victory at 11/10, with his experience and precision proving key to success again.
Posted at 11:20 BST on 29/05/26
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