Azim (14-0, 11 KOs) returns to the ring for the first time this year to face experienced Canadian Claggett at Wembley Arena on Saturday night in what will be his BBC debut.

The 24-year-old is on a five-fight knockout hot streak, most recently dispatching Kurt Scoby with two minutes left in their 12-round clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November.

But 36-year-old Claggett (40-8-2, 28 KOs) has not been stopped since way back in 2011 and even The Ring’s No. 4-rated junior welterweight, Lopez, had to settle for a points win when they met in June 2024. So the mission for Ring No. 9 Azim is clear: do what Lopez could not.

“Everyone knows Steve Claggett and he has been at world level before like in that Teofimo fight,” Azim told The Ring. “He gave Lopez a good fight that night so I just have to make sure I do a better job on him and that will speak for itself.”

Azim had been scheduled to face Gustavo Daniel Lemos in a fight for the IBF’s No. 2 spot on January 31 but injuries to both men forced the cancellation of that fight.

The spot remains vacant, as does the title, following Richardson Hitchins’ decision to relinquish his belt last month.

Azim, currently No. 7 in the IBF rankings, had hoped a victory over Claggett would secure the No. 2 spot and therefore a fight for the vacant title against their No. 1 contender Lindolfo Delgado, but the Mexican was ordered to fight No. 5-ranked Arthur Biyarslanov on Wednesday.

“That [was] the dream scenario,” Azim says. “I win this fight, move higher up the rankings and take that slot." 

Azim could still clash with the winner at the end of the year, but he remains frustrated the Lemos fight cancellation has set him back a few months.

"I could become world champion this year, hopefully that’s the case. It would mean I’d be a world champion at 24 after 16 fights which would be an incredible achievement. It’s a fast pace to be going at.

"[But] Lemos pulled out first and then I had to pull out because I had an injury as well. It was quite upsetting because it would have put me in position at No. 2 and I think Lemos would have been a great fight.

“We will see if it’s something we rekindle but it might not happen because after this fight I want to be fighting for a world title.”

Should all those pieces fall into place, there is a chance that Great Britain could have their second world champion at 140 pounds following Dalton Smith’s memorable victory over Subriel Matias in January, which secured him the WBC title.

Should Smith and Azim meet with two belts on the line, they would become the first British men to clash in a world title unification since David Haye and Enzo Maccarinelli in 2008.

“If I win a world title and he's already got one, then that is a massive unification,” Azim said. “I don’t think Britain has had a unification that big for quite a while now. Two Britons going at it.

“The fight is still marinating. Both of us are going to build up our profiles with me on the BBC which is a massive platform. Hopefully we can get it on."