After an eight-month absence through a freak injury and other commitments, former EBU European light-welterweight champion Adam Azim has already tabbed his second fight in three-and-a-half months as the unbeaten contender bids to win IBO world gold at 140lbs against former IBF world titleholder Sergey Lipinets, headlining a BOXXER show at Wembley Arena on February 1.
Lipinets making UK debut to start 2025
FORMER world light-welterweight champion Sergey Lipinets (18-3-1, 13 KO) will make his UK debut against rising star Adam Azim on Feb. 1, BOXXER have today announced, with the vacant IBO world championship up for grabs.
Lipinets’ compatriot Zhankosh Turarov (28-0, 20 KOs) was the last man to hold the strap but hasn’t boxed since a 12-round decision win over Lipinets’ former foe Akihiro Kondo last December.
Lipinets beat Tokyo’s Kondo via UD12 (117-111 x 2, 118-110) to win the then-vacant IBF world title in November 2017, on a Showtime card featuring Deontay Wilder, Shawn Porter and Amanda Serrano among others.
He’s suffered three defeats and a draw in six years since then, Mikey Garcia was the first man to score a knockdown at his expense en route to an unsuccessful first world title defence four months later before Jaron Ennis knocked him out in April 2021 at welterweight after a majority draw with Custio Clayton the previous October.
Since dropping back down a weight division, he was outpointed over ten rounds by Michel Rivera on the David Benavidez vs. Demetrius Andrade undercard but recently rebounded with a UD10 win over Azim’s former gymmate Robbie Davies Jr in May.
There’s a storyline there and after Azim’s eighth-round stoppage win over former sparring partner Ohara Davies, who he considers a friend, this is a much different ask for a 22-year-old growing in skills, confidence and maturity all the time.
It’s a far cry from Harlem Eubank (20-0, 8 KOs), recently venturing to welterweight after their proposed matchup fell through, as well as Dalton Smith (16-0, 12 KOs) who boxes Walid Ouizza for the European title Azim vacated last year.
Per the promotion’s press release, the Slough-born talent said: “This fight is another step up for me. I’m looking forward to sharing the ring with a great fighter like Sergey, he’s fought some of the biggest names out there but it’s my time now.
This is a chance for me to show I belong at world level and am ready to face the best. He’s had a great career but on Feb 1, he’s standing in my way and nothing is going to stop me achieving my dreams.”
Lipinets knows what’s at stake, deeming this a make-or-break shot at 35: “I’m glad Adam has accepted this, a lot of top fighters have refused to face me. I’ve never turned down a fight, this is make or break. Adam’s young, strong but doesn’t have my experience – I’ve seen it all – may the best man win.”
BOXXER founder and chief Ben Shalom described the matchup as a risky one for Azim to take at this stage of his career, 12 fights and after four Euro-level challenges prior: “Sergey is dangerous, an established world-level boxer with devastating punching power but Adam is a special talent. What we’ve seen from him in the ring, the gym, tells us he’s ready… this is a massive opportunity for him.”
There will likely be an introductory press conference in early January to further promote this fight, after the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch is concluded, with further undercard bouts being announced in due course.
Picture source: Getty Images
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