Image source, Getty Images

Dan Azeez has no intention of going easy on a man, Joshua Buatsi, he used to meet socially when he steps into the ring tonight.

After October's postponement, there seems to be an extra spice to the fight as we've gone through this second run, certainly from Buatsi's side, but Azeez insists his feelings towards his fellow Brit have never changed.

Azeez told BBC Sport: "It took maybe a week to realise it’s not happening and we need to work towards the future, recovery and rescheduling the fight. I wanted to still get it on in December but I wasn’t boxing fit.

“To be able to recover from it I’m so grateful and thankful. I’m at peace.

"To the public it might seem that but the way I feel about him prior to the withdrawal is the same way I feel about him now.

"At the end of the day, what is important is 3 February. It’s a fight. We can’t be cuddling and hugging and holding hands. We’ll be punching each other’s heads in."

Dan Azeez, speaking to Sky Sports backstage: "I know what it takes to overcome all odds in the boxing ring and in life in general. I'm comfortable in this situation.

"I've just got my mind set on winning, I've come this far. I'm not thinking about what could go wrong. Everything just needs to go right."

Conor Benn is now in action in Las Vegas against undefeated American Peter Dobson.

Will Benn make it 23 wins without loss in this welterweight bout?

Image source, Matchroom

Hands wrapped, fight kit on - just the ringwalks to go!

Image source, Boxxer

Image source, Boxxer

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at OVO Arena, Wembley

Buatsi and Azeez are quality light-heavyweights but they are not the only decent British names in the division. Two-time world-title challenger Anthony Yarde is still a huge draw and could face the winner, should promotional rivalries be overcome.

Then there is Callum Smith, who is set to continue in the sport despite losing to unified champion Artur Beterbeiv last month.

Craig Richards and Lyndon Arthur as also solid enough domestic contenders. But for all the talent, the last British world champion at light-heavyweight was Nathan Cleverley. The Welshman lost his WBO title more than a decade ago.

Image source, Boxxer

If waiting four months wasn't frustrating enough for Joshua Buatsi, the Olympian had to wait an extra 45 minutes to weigh in on Friday.

Dan Azeez was late for his scheduled weigh-in slot at Wembley's BOXPARK venue.

Prior to Azeez's arrival, there was speculation around why he was running late. Could there be problem with weight? Was it mind games?

Well, Azeez claimed it was just the notoriously bad London traffic!

"It is what is is," Azeez said, adding that he did not have the luxury of being in a "plush" hotel next to the venue like his opponent.

"I'm all the way in Catford, Lewisham. There was a bit of traffic."

Only Azeez knows whether that was the true reason or not but he certainly didn't seem to have any issues making weight as he came in at 12st 4lb 5oz when the weigh-in eventually started, while a visibly frustrated Buatsi weighed 12st 6lb.

Anthony Yarde
Light-heavyweight boxer

Image source, Getty Images

Myself, Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez are all light-heavyweights from London. I see them around a lot.

Fans might wonder what happens when rivals meet out of the ring.

But there's no drama when I see them. I've known Azeez for years, we used to train out of the same gym before I turned pro. He's a good guy, I always hug him when I see him. We talk as normal. It's the same with Craig Richards, another light-heavyweight from South London. Buatsi has always been more of a business relationship.

But I do see him around. I ran into him not long ago at a birthday party of Stormzy - the rapper is a friend of mine. I saw Buatsi and we talked about fighting each other. But the talk of me and Buatsi fighting has gone on a long time.

I watched Buatsi at the 2012 Olympics. All I saw then was a London boy in the Olympics, so I was supporting him.

He got a bronze medal. That was brilliant to me. I started boxing soon after.

As soon as he turned professional, because I was making noise, his name started coming up. You don't mention Buatsi's name without mentioning mine. To be honest, I blame Eddie Hearn, his previous promoter.

Every time Buatsi fought, Hearn mentioned my name.

Read Anthony Yarde's full column here.

Fancy another one?

WBO cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe are going to meet for a second time, although we haven't got a date for that bout just yet.

Billam-Smith only has one loss on his 20-fight record and that defeat came against Riakporhe in July 2019.

The British rivals have just been ringside on the Sky Sports broadcast and it got a little heated.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

There's so much going on in the boxing world tonight!

We've already brought you the news that the undisputed heavyweight bout between WBC champion Tyson Fury and IBF, WBA and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk has been rescheduled for 17 May.

Here's a bit more breaking news with regard to the heavyweight division.

Fabio Wardley is set to defend his British and Commonwealth titles against Frazer Clarke on 31 March at London's O2 Arena.

The pair have just faced off in the ring at OVO Arena. It is being billed as 'Bad Blood'.

Clarke, 32, won all four trips to the ring in 2023 to take his overall record to 8-0.

He was in attendance as Wardley, 29, claimed a knockout win against David Adeleye in Saudi Arabia in October, extending his perfect record to 17 wins with 16 coming inside the distance.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at OVO Arena, Wembley

There is an odd vibe here on press row. While the anticipation for the main event is building nicely, all the talk is about Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury.

European light-welterweight champion Adam Azim told Sky Sports: "As the fight was progressing I was going to get him out of there I could feel it was coming.

"His shoulder popped, apparently.

"I could have started more aggressively but it's about timing, it's about boxing, it's about learning my craft.

"I've had harder spars than this fight. Thanks to everyone that helped me in sparring. I'm just a bit gutted that I couldn't get him out properly."

Image source, Boxxer

Image source, Boxxer

After winning a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Joshua Buatsi made his professional a year later.

The Ghana-born fighter, was extremely active in the early stages of his professional career, fighting 12 times in the space of 24 months.

But with 17 fights on his record as he steps into the ring, that means he has only competed a further five times since 2019.

He fought just once in 2022 and in 2023 but still proudly sports a perfect record with all 17 of his trips to the ring ending in victory and 13 of those have come inside the distance.

Speaking on the 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast, Buatsi was keen to avoid making an outright prediction of how tonight's fight will end, though, with a patient approach seemingly his preferred option.

Buatsi said: "When I get there we’ve got 12 rounds to figure out what to do. I know that for that 12 rounds I will know what to do. A lot of hard work is gone into it.

"Times like this my faith plays a massive part. I can’t draw away from that. There’s a lot of encouragement and strength I get form that that nobody can give to me. It’s literally the faith that I have. I have people who encourage and pray for me and that for me tops everything."

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at OVO Arena, Wembley

The winner tonight will be in line to face WBA champion Dmitry Bivol next, but his undisputed light-heavyweight contest against Artur Beterbiev has now been confirmed for 1 June.

Buatsi reportedly declined a shot at Bivol last year, according to his former promoters Matchroom. He instead signed up with Ben Shalom’s Boxxer. Could it be a decision he regrets?

Image source, Getty Images

I mentioned earlier that Dan Azeez and Joshua Buatsi have taken very different paths to reach this point of their career.

Well Azeez has worked his way up the ranks from the small halls to the big venues, picking up Southern Area, English, Commonwealth and European titles along the way.

He has also completed a Master's degree in accounting and finance.

Azeez made his professional debut in 2017 and has never looked backed, although he admits he's had no shortage of challenges to overcome.

"People don't understand," he says. "But when you're a professional boxer, especially if you weren't an Olympian who signs with the big promoters straight away, you have to sell tickets yourself.

"It's really not easy to sell enough to cover all the expenses, and I struggled with that. I've had to get out on Instagram, do all that stuff. I'm not really that way inclined, but you do what you have to do to survive."

Conor Benn's welterweight contest with American Peter Dobson in Las Vegas is not far away.

The main focus here will be the light-heavyweight bout between Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez in London but we'll make sure you are up to date with what is going on Stateside too.

Image source, Matchroom

It's all over!

Enock Poulsen has retired after suffering an injury to his shoulder late in round five.

Adam Azim retains his European light-welterweight belt.

Image source, Boxxer

England's Adam Azim is looking good after four rounds against Enock Poulsen.

Azim's speed is the standout so far. He's staying patient, keeping his range, avoiding any attacks that are coming from the Dane and having some success on the counter.

Azim became the quickest Brit to claim a European title, doing it in just 10 fights, when he stopped Franck Petitjean in November.

Image source, Boxxer

Image source, Getty Images

Conor Benn has vowed to "fight to the death to prove his innocence" after a provisional doping suspension in 2022.

The 27-year-old failed two Voluntary Anti-Doping Association tests before his cancelled bout with Chris Eubank Jr in October 2022.

He tested positive for female fertility drug clomifene, which can be used to boost testosterone levels in men, but has always denied intentionally taking it.

Benn does not hold a boxing licence in the UK.

"I'm willing to spend every last penny I have and fight to the death to prove my innocence," he told ITV's Good Morning Britain.

"My name matters more to me than anything else, fighting is fighting, but your name stands forever and so for me it's been hard, it's been challenging, but I've got a good team around me."

Image source, Getty Images

There's also some action across the pond tonight with Britain's Conor Benn taking on American Peter Dobson in Las Vegas.

Benn, who was given a provisional doping suspension in 2022, does not hold a boxing licence in the UK.

The 27-year-old failed two Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) tests before his cancelled bout with Chris Eubank Jr in October 2022.

In March 2023 UK Anti-Doping (Ukad) provisionally suspended Benn, but the National Anti-Doping Panel (NADP) lifted the suspension in July after a hearing.

He returned to the ring in September to earn a unanimous decision win against Rodolfo Orozco, fighting under a US licence, in Orlando, Florida.

But the Boxing Board of Control are appealing NADP's decision, hence why Benn cannot fight in the UK.

Benn seems pretty confident of extending his perfect record to 23 wins tonight because he's been speaking about a "mega fight" in the UK in April or May, welcoming a bout against two-weight world champion Devin Haney.

Top-10 pound-for-pound star Haney is the WBC light-welterweight world champion. The American is undefeated in 31 pro bouts.

"Any welterweight is not a concern for me. Any top American fighter - anyone - no problem," Benn said.

"If he [Haney] wants to come to England and up to 147lb, no problem.

"Think it's going to be an easy touch? Come over. It's not a problem to me. Let's fight. We could have it in America, in England, in a phone box, anywhere."

BBC Sounds

Boxing expert Steve Bunce is back with another edition of his podcast.

Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez both spoke with Bunce in the build-up to their all-British bout.

Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom also gives his thoughts on the contest.

A few of the fighters who feature on the undercard also make an appearance, including Ben Whittaker, Caroline Dubois and Francesca Hennessy with her dad, promoter and manager Mick Hennessy.

Listen to the full podcast here.