Adam Azim: Sergey Lipinets better than anyone Dalton Smith’s fought

Adam Azim looks to advance his career against Sergey Lipinets this Saturday, live on Sky Sports.

Lipinets will be the first former world champion that Azim has boxed, and the rising star from Slough intends to prove that be belongs in the top flight of the super-lightweight division when they clash at the OVO Arena Wembley this weekend.

Azim is regularly compared to rival Briton Dalton Smith, who knocked out Walid Ouizza in a round last Saturday to win the European title previously held by Azim.

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Determined to make a statement this Saturday, Azim insists that a victory over Lipinets would be better than any win Smith has had so far in his career.

"Most definitely," Azim told Sky Sports. "You've got [Jose] Zepeda there but Sergey Lipinets has been in with better opposition than Zepeda [a previous world title challenger whom Smith knocked out last year].

"When I do beat Lipinets then I'll be like look my level's above you Dalton."

While Azim commended Smith's performance against Ouizza, he did not rate the opponent.

"The majority of people don't know who he was," Azim said of the Frenchman. "When you look at that it was like one of the fighters I fought, Anthony Loffet [whom Azim boxed in his fifth pro bout], he was on that level. I had to search out who he was. No one knew who he was.

"But look he [Smith] got the job done. I thought he boxed really well the first round, can't really get nothing from that but it's good because it keeps [our] fight marinating."

Azim versus Smith remains a topic of conversation. "Everyone's talking about me straight after the fight. Dalton wasn't talking much about me but I think the people around him were. At least they're talking about me, it's a bit like I'm living in their heads rent free so it's good," Azim said.

"I think it's in his team's head. Dalton really doesn't say much but it would be nice if he does because I don't fear any fight. When I do fight him, then we'll see what happens. I'm not really phased if anyone's there talking about me because I've got a job to do on Saturday and my main focus is just focusing on Saturday then I can start talking.

"The majority of the time people are talking about me instead of him but that's a good thing because it's exposure for me," he added.

"But I think after this fight then we can probably talk about him."

Azim wants to remain active in 2025 and intends to have two more fights after Lipinets.

"I leave that till after the fight's done but hopefully if it's not April then May or June time [for the next fight]. It could be June, then I could fight again in October," he said.

"Three times would be ideal for this year."

Boxing coming up on Sky Sports

Saturday February 1

Wembley Arena, London

Adam Azim vs Sergey Lipinets

Sunday February 15

Madison Square Garden Theater

Denys Berinchyk vs Keyshawn Davis (WBO lightweight)

Saturday February 22

Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, live on Sky Sports Box Office

Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker (IBF heavyweight)

Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol (WBC, WBA, WBO & IBF light-heavyweight)

Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith (WBO Interim light-heavyweight)

Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz (WBC middleweight)

Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel (WBC Interim heavyweight)

Shakur Stevenson vs Floyd Schofield (WBC lightweight)

Vergil Ortiz vs Israil Madrimov (WBC Interim super-welterweight)

Monday February 24

Ariake Arena, Tokyo

Junto Nakatani vs David Cuellar (WBO bantamweight)

Tenshin Nasukawa vs Jason Moloney

Friday March 7

Royal Albert Hall, London

Natasha Jonas vs Lauren Price (IBF, WBC & WBA welterweight)

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Adam Azim: Sergey Lipinets better than anyone Dalton Smith’s fought