Adam Azim is to be matched with Sergey Lipinets of Kazakhstan on February 1, BoxingScene understands.
The 22 year old impressed in October when he stopped Ohara Davies in eight rounds to enhance his reputation as one of Britain’s most promising young fighters, and on another Boxxer promotion expected to be in London, on the occasion of his 13th fight will be given his toughest test.
Lipinets, 35, has previously recorded defeats only to Mikey Garcia, Jaron “Boots” Ennis and, in 2023, Michel Rivera. The fight with Ennis was at welterweight, but Azim-Lipinets will be at junior welterweight, where Azim has reigned as European champion.
The selection of Lipinets as Azim’s next opponent represents a continuation of the aggressive matchmaking that has previously served his trainer Shane McGuigan and manager Barry McGuigan in the careers of, most notably, Carl Frampton and Josh Taylor.
Should Viddal Riley defeat Steve Eloundou Ntere in Liverpool on December 14, it is understood he will fight fellow British cruiserweight Isaac Chamberlain on the undercard.
“We’re looking at a date early next year,” Shane McGuigan told BoxingScene. “We’re looking at options.
“We’d like a decent name. Someone that’s been in and around world level.
“He held himself well [before fighting Davies] in the media, with another guy talking shit to him. These are all experiences you have to get over. People slandering you, and stuff like that, in fight week – that’s an experience.
“Tick that box, go on to the next. When you go into a big fight – a 50-50 fight – you’ve got to be exposed to not just a foreign opponent coming in and getting a pay cheque. You’ve gotta get guys that are relevant and guys that want to talk it, and that’s a good thing.”