Even though the World Boxing Super Series does not have its full eight-man roster for its junior welterweight tournament announced, one particular former world champion won’t be taking part.
Sergey Lipinets, who held the IBF junior welterweight title until Mikey Garcia defeated him to win the title back in March, wrote on Twitter that his next fight will take place on the undercard of Garcia’s WBC/IBF lightweight title unification bout against Robert Easter Jr. on July 28. The reason for this fight date is that, according to Lipinets, he was not chosen to be a part of the tournament, which includes the likes of WBA champion Kiryl Relikh, Ivan Baranchyk and Josh Taylor.
Not only will Lipinets be fighting on the Garcia vs. Easter undercard, he will do so as a welterweight, although he did not specify if the move up in weight would be for this fight or the start of a welterweight campaign.
Lipinets has never seriously competed as a welterweight, mainly fighting in the junior welterweight division, where he became a world champion in just his 13th professional fight. Lipinets won the IBF title when he won a unanimous decision over former Japanese lightweight champion Akihiro Kondo last November.
An opponent has not been named for Lipinets, but according to him, he will fight as the opening bout of the televised portion of the July 28 card, which will take place in Los Angeles and be televised on Showtime. Outside of the lightweight title unification, no other fight has been officially announced for the television card.
