Briton Joshua Buatsi outpointed friend and rival Dan Azeez in a brilliant all-British light-heavyweight encounter at Wembley’s OVO Arena.
Buatsi and Azeez served up a domestic dust-up for the boxing purist.
In quite the striking visual, Azeez made his ring walk second and headed straight to the middle of the ring to meet Buatsi face on. He skipped on the spot as Buatsi shadowboxed – neither man averting their gaze.
They have sparred hundreds of rounds together but it was an altogether different proposition competing with smaller gloves and under the bright lights of the arena and a vocal crowd – with allegiances seemingly split between the south Londoners.
Buatsi floored his fellow Londoner twice in the 11th round, although Azeez insisted he slipped on both occasions.
Two judges scored it 116-110 and the other 117-109 to Buatsi in a bout where both men continued swinging into the final seconds.
“He pushed me every round, he’s a champion,” Buatsi, 30, said.
“I couldn’t have done it without Dan, it’s a pleasure to share the ring with him. Dan was pounding my head. He made me fight every second. Dan, big up yourself.”
The contest was an eliminator for WBA champion Dmitry Bivol’s world title, while Buatsi also picks up the British and Commonwealth belts with his 18th professional win.
Azeez, who suffered a first defeat in his 21st bout, was gracious in defeat.
