BoxRec

Martin Joseph Ward vs Azinga Fuzile IBF eliminator joins Haney-Linares on May 29th

The pair are ranked 3rd and 4th, respectively, by the IBF

Rumble Africa Promotions, who represent super featherweight contender Azinga Fuzile, have revealed that their charge will face Martin Joseph Ward in an IBF title eliminator on Golden Boy’s May 29th Devin Haney-Jorge Linares card.



Ward (24-1-2, 11 KOs), who boasts well-aged wins over Maxi Hughes and Anthony Cacace, has won five straight since a 2018 stoppage loss to James Tennyson. The most notable saw him take a split decision over Devis Boschiero, while the most recent saw him run roughshod over Jesus Amparan in February of last year.

Fuzile (14-1, 8 KOs) fights for the first time since a controversial 2019 loss to Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov. “Golden Boy” was thoroughly in control of the fight, only to suffer a comeback knockout loss in the 10th round that grew suspect when footage revealed Rakhimov’s corner apparently giving him smelling salts. Despite that and South African authorities subsequently finding a whole mess of drugs in Team Rakhimov’s hotel room, the IBF let the result stand and gave Fuzile an eliminator while Rakhimov went on to challenge JoJo Diaz.

He’d planned a stay-busy bout in December, but that ultimately fell through.

I’m real high on Fuzile and Ward has looked plenty sharp lately, so there’s a lot to like about this matchup. Should be fun.

fuzile looked f@cking fantastic against rakimov until his sudden collapse

Good fight. Pleased for Ward. Tidy fighter who needs to be more active.

Fight week!

Martin Ward Aims To Make Statement in Fuzile IBF Title Eliminator

Martin J. Ward thinks he has all the answers for Azinga Fuzile as he prepares to travel to Las Vegas to meet the South African in a final eliminator for the IBF World Super-Featherweight title on Saturday May 29 at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Mandalay Bay, live worldwide on DAZN.

Ward (24-1-2 11 KOs) fulfills a childhood dream making his American debut in the bright lights of Sin City, but the Briton will not let the glitz and glamour distract him from taking a massive step in becoming a World champion.

The 29 year old knows that Fuzile (14-1 8 KOs) presents a dangerous obstacle to that dream, but the Tony Sims trained talent is not fazed by having to face a southpaw to land a World title shot, and wants to emulate the impact that one of his heroes, Prince Naseem Hamed, had when he would wow crowds in America.

“I was a big Naz fan and stayed up to watch him fight Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas and in all his fights all over the States,” said Ward. “It has been a childhood dream of mine to fight in Vegas on the big stage, and here it is, and I am not going to let this slip through my fingers, I’ve trained too hard and put too much of my life into this to let it go.

“Motivation has not been an issue at all in this camp, I’ve been training so hard, and I’ve been flying, smashing it in the gym and on the track, it’s all coming together at the right time and I’m just so excited. Over the last year there have been a few opportunities that have come up, so I didn’t want to get too excited as a couple of them fell through and I had started to get my weight down for them. I was chomping at the bit for them, so it was frustrating, so I took this one with a pinch of salt really, I just wanted a date to be sorted, and when it was cemented in place it was great.

“He’s a slick southpaw, has some impressive wins on the record and only has one loss and he was winning that fight until he got chinned. He looks a good fighter, and hopefully our styles will gel, and we’ll put on a good fight for the fans. I haven’t fought in over a year, but it’s been over 18 months for him, but it depends how you live outside the gym, I live the life, I keep a healthy lifestyle and training makes me happy, it’s part of me.

“I won the British title in 2016 and then won it outright in the space of ten months against three southpaws so it’s funny how I’m now facing another southpaw in this massive fight. All those fights have built up my experience and it’s all fallen into place; I just need to put it all together on the night.

“He’s elusive, sharp, counters well and has good defense with the shoulder roll, but I am going to nullify all that and take him out of his comfort zone and do a job on him. I’ll be too smart, and I think I’ll be too big and strong for the guy. I’m so close to where I want to be.”

It’s a tough fight this one. Fuzile’s a good fighter.

Forgot this fight had its own thread..

Great fight!

He's been disappointing. I think hes just not as elusive as he thinks he is and doesn't punch hard enough. Tennyson got him out of there and Tennyson is someone you should be beating if you want to operate at world level. Fuzile was hurting him and even without the knee injury it looked like fuzile would win. fuzile didn't look anything special. he was like a way better version of ohara davies as a southpaw but even that is nothing special. Ward got shown up here.

TheLeprechaun wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 11:32 He's been disappointing. I think hes just not as elusive as he thinks he is and doesn't punch hard enough. Tennyson got him out of there and Tennyson is someone you should be beating if you want to operate at world level. Fuzile was hurting him and even without the knee injury it looked like fuzile would win. fuzile didn't look anything special. he was like a way better version of ohara davies as a southpaw but even that is nothing special. Ward got shown up here.

Fuzile should be undefeated, and he appeared to be the best pure boxer on either card Saturday night. Ward was in a tough spot even without the knee injury, but he was absolutely still in that fight.

I agree that Ward will never be a world beater but let’s see how this loss ages. Fuzile may not be great, but he is a handful for anyone in his class.

I had it level.

ironbeard wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 13:17

TheLeprechaun wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 11:32 He's been disappointing. I think hes just not as elusive as he thinks he is and doesn't punch hard enough. Tennyson got him out of there and Tennyson is someone you should be beating if you want to operate at world level. Fuzile was hurting him and even without the knee injury it looked like fuzile would win. fuzile didn't look anything special. he was like a way better version of ohara davies as a southpaw but even that is nothing special. Ward got shown up here.

Fuzile should be undefeated, and he appeared to be the best pure boxer on either card Saturday night. Ward was in a tough spot even without the knee injury, but he was absolutely still in that fight.

I agree that Ward will never be a world beater but let’s see how this loss ages. Fuzile may not be great, but he is a handful for anyone in his class.

why should he be undefeated?

ward just not durable enough for me, at that level vs anyone with a bit of a punch, he may win rounds but he's getting hurt and stopped eventually. think he's already reached his level

been down loads now and stopped pretty hard in both losses

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 14:58

ironbeard wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 13:17

TheLeprechaun wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 11:32 He's been disappointing. I think hes just not as elusive as he thinks he is and doesn't punch hard enough. Tennyson got him out of there and Tennyson is someone you should be beating if you want to operate at world level. Fuzile was hurting him and even without the knee injury it looked like fuzile would win. fuzile didn't look anything special. he was like a way better version of ohara davies as a southpaw but even that is nothing special. Ward got shown up here.

Fuzile should be undefeated, and he appeared to be the best pure boxer on either card Saturday night. Ward was in a tough spot even without the knee injury, but he was absolutely still in that fight.

I agree that Ward will never be a world beater but let’s see how this loss ages. Fuzile may not be great, but he is a handful for anyone in his class.

why should he be undefeated?

It is obvious that a stimulant (likely smelling salts) was administered to Rakhimov between 7 and 8. See the 32nd minute of link below.



At minimum, a rematch should have been ordered.

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑31 May 2021, 14:59 ward just not durable enough for me, at that level vs anyone with a bit of a punch, he may win rounds but he's getting hurt and stopped eventually. think he's already reached his level

been down loads now and stopped pretty hard in both losses

Yes mate. I'd take Tennyson to beat him in a rematch.