Sergey Lipinets has finally ended the search to find a willing opponent for his next fight.
BoxingScene.com has learned that plans are in place for the former IBF junior welterweight titlist to face rising Dominican prospect Elvis Rodriguez. The two parties have agreed to meet, though a fight date is not yet attached to the 140-pound crossroads matchup.
Inquiries placed with Premier Boxing Champions (PBC)—who represents both boxers—to confirm were not immediately returned as this goes to publication. One working theory has the bout serving in supporting capacity on a Showtime Pay-Per-View event in July, particularly if a long-discussed Errol Spence-Terence Crawford undisputed welterweight championship clash can get over the line in time.
Lipinets (17-2-1, 13KOs) has been out of the ring since a stoppage win over former lightweight titlist Omar Figueroa after eight rounds in their junior welterweight affair last August 20 in Hollywood, Florida. The opportunity was a matter of being in the right place at the right time for Lipinets, who filled the void left behind when Adrien Broner withdrew from the Showtime televised main event, citing mental health reasons.
The win was the first in more than three years for Lipinets. His post-pandemic run was a twelve-round draw with Custio Clayton in an October 2020 interim IBF welterweight title fight and a sixth-round knockout defeat to Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis in April 2021, which marked his final fight at the weight before returning to the 140-pound division.
Lipinets hadn’t previously fought at 140 since his brief IBF title reign came to a close in a twelve-round defeat to then-unbeaten Mikey Garcia in March 2018. Five straight fights followed at welterweight before returning to his natural weight.
Rodriguez (14-1-1, 12KOs) can empathize with Lipinets’ plight to land relevant opposition or even a steady stream of ring activity.
‘The Dominican Kid’ has won three straight since a May 2021 eight-round defeat to Kenneth Sims Jr. All three fights have come under the PBC banner, beginning with a fifth-round knockout of Juan Pablo Romero, a 2016 Mexican Olympian who was unbeaten at the time of their November 2021 clash on the Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez-Canelo Plant Showtime Pay-Per-View undercard.
Just two fights have followed, both as the opening bout of Showtime televised tripleheaders from The Armory in Minneapolis. Rodriguez scored a seventh-round knockout of Juan Jose Velasco last March 26 before riding two knockdowns en route to a ten-round points win over Joseph Adorno on February 25.
The forthcoming clash versus Lipinets will mark the first time that Rodriguez—a 27-year-old southpaw from Santo Domingo who trains under Freddie Roach in Hollywood, California—will face a former major titlist.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox