Promising junior-welterweight (10st/140lbs) contender Adam ‘Assassin’ Azim takes his first major step up to world level as he meets former IBF champion Sergey ‘The Samurai’ Lipinets at the OVO Wembley Arena, London, England tonight.
So far Azim’s progress to this level has been impressive with his most recent victory against fellow British contender Ohara Davies being a standout performance. Davies, who’d fought in good company before, was dispatched emphatically inside eight rounds and subsequently retired from the sport.
Slough, west London’s Azim (12-0, 9 KOs), was British fighter of the year in 2024 and has delivered all asked of him to date. At only 22 he’s an excellent prospect for challenging world honours. Trained by respected Shane McGuigan he combines good boxing skills with a concussive array of shots. He’s looking as though he can only get better, but first has to come through the 35 year old Lipinets.
Lipinets (18-3-1, 13 KOs), from Kazakhstan, an ex-professional champion has had a number of world title fights which built on his good amateur background, representing one of the top boxing nations in the world.
He rose to win a version of the world title and has fought in good company at that level. He holds a win over former ‘world’ champion Lamont Peterson who once beat Britain’s Olympic medallist and double world belt-holder Amir Khan.
The Kazakh also defeated quality American Mikey Garcia.
Tonight’s meeting, in boxing parlance, is a ‘crossroads’ fight, with one fighter moving on and up, and the other disappearing from contention. Whether Lipinets is ready to surrender that higher status at the moment will be determined. We expect him to put up a sterling effort for the first five or so rounds, and then be overwhelmed by Azim’s youth and superior power down the stretch.
The BOXXER promotion is to be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and Peacock channel in the USA.
There was some pre-fight drama yesterday when both fighters scaled in above the 10 stone limit. A couple of hours later both met the required limit for the vacant IBO title to still be at stake.
The card also includes the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion Callum Simpson (11-0, 11 KOs) who should come through against a big punching Ghananian who is talking a good fight so far. Bar any shocks this could be a fight determined by levels.
The Undisputed 