Adam Azim will fight for the first time this year against tough former world champion Sergey Lipinets on February 1, live on Sky Sports.
Having already held the European title, the unbeaten super-lightweight Azim has ambitious plans for the rest of 2025 and is open to boxing British rivals like Harlem Eubank or Dalton Smith later this year if he defeats Lipinets at Wembley Arena.
“This is the first fight for me in 2025,” Azim told Sky Sports. “Hopefully, you never know, I could be fighting Dalton Smith.
“There are so many names out there, you’ve got Dalton Smith, Harlem Eubank.
“Whatever opportunity comes into play,” he continued. “I’ll just do my job.”
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Azim and Barry McGuigan discuss domestic rival Dalton Smith and insist there is definitely no fear about a future British showdown
Eubank is unbeaten but underwhelmed in his last bout in November when he boxed Nurali Erdogan over eight rounds.
Both fighters had points deducted and Eubank picked up a cut by his eye in round seven.
Azim, whose slated fight with Eubank in 2024 ultimately fell through, had a warning for him though.
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A new ringside angle has emerged of Azim landing a huge body shot to down Ohara Davies
“He couldn’t [box like that against me] because I would take him out in two rounds,” Azim said.
“A lot of people can have bad days in the office but he looked really bad.”
Azim last boxed in October, dominating Ohara Davies. He intends to build on that performance against Lipinets.
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Highlights from the super-lightweight showdown between Azim and Davies
“I was vicious with the Ohara Davies fight. We’ve got a friendship there but when we get into the ring, it’s a fight. I’m going to take his head off, that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
“I’m going to be very destructive. It’s going to be very clinical and it’s going to be a pure masterclass.”
Lipinets though will provide the sternest opposition to Azim in his career so far. “It’s the right step up,” he said.
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Azim and Davies were full of praise for each other after Azim’s impressive victory
“I’m just looking forward to the fight. He’s a good operator. He’s been at the world level, he’s a former IBF world champion, he’s fought the likes of Mikey Garcia, ‘Boots’ [Jaron Ennis, now the IBF welterweight champion] as well.
“‘Boots’ dismantled him in six rounds and beat him quite bad but I think overall he’s up there at the world level so he’s a good operator.”
Azim wants prove his own quality in this fight against Lipinets.
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Watch the moment when Azim dropped Davies in the eighth round at the Copper Box area
“This is my opportunity and the big time to show that I’m ready to step up [to] the world title levels,” he declared.
“I think I’ve got [everything] to become a world champion and I know for sure when he wants me to fight inside, when he wants to fight long range I can do all that. I can fight inside, I can be long range. I can be mid range, I’ve got all the tools for a class act in boxing.
“My mindset’s always been when I get into the ring there’s no distractions, nothing like that. I’m going to put on a great mature, clinical performance.”
Watch Adam Azim vs Sergey Lipinets on February 1 live on Sky Sports.