HOLLYWOOD, Florida – Sergey Lipinets ready for his non-televised, eight-round battle on the Adrien Broner-Omar Figueroa Jr. undercard as if he would exchange Broner or Figueroa within the 12-round primary occasion Saturday night time.
That chance introduced itself Monday morning, when Broner introduced his withdrawal from their 140-pound bout to deal with his psychological well being. The previous IBF junior welterweight champion fortunately accepted an opportunity to rejuvenate his profession throughout the weight class through which he has had essentially the most success.
“Sergey by no means mentioned no to a battle,” Alex Vaysfeld instructed BoxingScene.com following a press convention Thursday. “He calls for to be paid for it, which is truthful. However he won’t ever say no to a battle as a result of his life beat him up manner, far more than Jaron Ennis ever might.”
Ennis certainly beat up Lipinets within the Kazakhstan native’s most up-to-date battle.
The sensible, robust, highly effective Philadelphia native stopped Lipinets within the sixth spherical of a wholly one-sided bout that occurred in April 2021 at Mohegan Solar Enviornment in Uncasville, Connecticut. Ennis despatched Lipinets to the canvas twice throughout a battle Showtime televised, as soon as apiece within the fourth and sixth rounds.
That lopsided loss to Ennis (29-0, 27 KOs, 1 NC) impressed Lipinets to return to the junior welterweight division, the place the 33-year-old veteran believes he belongs. Lipinets (16-2-1, 12 KOs) would’ve remained at 140 kilos if not for his exclusion from the World Boxing Tremendous Sequence’ match, which started in 2018.
“The choice to go as much as 147 was as a result of the match got here proper after I misplaced to Mikey Garcia [in March 2018], and I used to be not included in it,” Lipinets defined. “We tried to get in it, however I used to be not included in that match. So, roughly, there have been no names to battle at 140 kilos. It was extra of a monetary determination to go as much as 147. We had been provided to battle Lamont Peterson, which was an awesome battle. I bought paid for that and I felt good at 147. Then we had been imagined to battle John Molina.
“After which after I fought Jaron Ennis, he was simply manner too massive for me. Within the ring, I used to be most likely about 152 kilos. He was most likely 160-something. However it’s on me, so we decided to return to 140. And it’s about to occur 140 proper right here, on this area. And all people will see if I’m nonetheless a power to be reckoned with at 140. This battle will present it.”
Figueroa (28-2-1, 19 KOs) additionally has moved again down from welterweight for this “Showtime Championship Boxing” primary occasion at Seminole Onerous Rock Resort & On line casino.
Like Lipinets, Figueroa will finish a protracted layoff when he enters the ring for the featured attraction of a four-bout broadcast scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET. The 32-year-old Weslaco, Texas native hasn’t boxed since welterweight contender Abel Ramos (27-5-2, 21 KOs) dominated him till their Could 2021 bout was stopped following the sixth spherical at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park in Carson, California.
Figueroa dealt along with his personal psychological well being points after his loss to Ramos, which has introduced that vital matter to the forefront in the course of the buildup towards this card.
“I don’t even know what that’s,” Lipinets mentioned. “I assume they bought an excessive amount of cash and an excessive amount of free time on their palms. I’m too busy taking good care of my household, taking good care of my [two] youngsters, the whole lot that I’ve, so I don’t have time for psychological well being. I don’t even know what that’s. I’m not judging anybody. I’m not saying something about, ‘Hey, you recognize, this man is making stuff up,’ or the rest. No matter they’re going by, I hope they’re gonna get effectively.”
Lipinets prefers the kind of remedy he’ll expertise Saturday night time, when he’ll face Figueroa in what’s more likely to be a extra fan-friendly battle than the conservative Broner and Figueroa would’ve produced.
“Stylistically, it’s a win-win battle,” Lipinets mentioned. “Omar just isn’t working round. Omar goes ahead and attempting to throw punches in bunches. me – I’m doing the identical factor. I’ll keep there and blend it up with him. The followers are gonna be ecstatic. I don’t care how a lot blood is gonna be spilled in that ring. I’m a Samurai. That’s how I really feel in my coronary heart. Omar is an actual Mexican fighter.
“I’ve been known as out on social media by some younger up-and-coming fighters, saying, ‘Hey, come on, Lipinets, let’s dance.’ I don’t dance. I battle. All that stuff on social media, they’re making extra fights on Twitter than within the ring. And that’s actually unhappy these days, as a result of as an old-school fighter. I like to get within the ring. Cease speaking. Get within the ring.”
Figueroa needs to revitalize his personal profession, but Lipinets, who’s listed by most sportsbooks as a 3-1 favourite, can not envision shedding his first battle in 16 months.
“I’m actually feeling good,” Lipinets mentioned. “I miss that ring, I miss these lights and I’m hungry. I’m able to go on the market and present the world that I’m nonetheless at it. It’s undoubtedly gonna put me proper again in a great spot. If I’m gonna reclaim something within the sport of boxing, that’s the date and time to do it. Profitable will put me able to battle for all types of various issues. It’s an important battle, make it or break it, so to talk.”
Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He might be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.
