Manager: 100-1 Odds That Crawford, Indongo Won't Fight Lipinets!

By Steve Kim

The IBF's top rated rated super lightweight Sergey Lipinets, and his handlers, aren't happy that the International Boxing Federation  has granted an exemption for Julius Indongo (who holds the IBF, IBO and WBA 140-pound titles) to face WBC, WBO champion Terence Crawford on August 19th in a match-up that will crown one unified champion in the division. ESPN will televise the contest.

Lipinets had earned the number one spot by stopping Lenny Zappavigna back in December. They believed that it would lead to an immediate shot at the IBF belt.

"There are conditions that whoever wins that fight must face Lipinets within 90 days," pointed out Alex Vaysfeld, the manager of the undefeated Lipinets (12-0/10 KO's). "By November 17th or the 17th they have to fight Lipinets. There will be no excuses, no broken hand, no miracle condition of any kind - they have to face Lipinets by November 17th."

So in the meantime, what will Lipinets (coming off a seventh round stoppage of Clarence Booth on March 4th) do?

Vaysfeld told BoxingScene.com - "We're going to take another fight. We're just waiting for the date but we're going to take a stay-busy fight. It doesn't matter, Lipinets would love to fight whoever is out there but everybody knows - including the IBF - that the IBF belt will be dropped the second one of those guys is going to win.

"They will drop that thing like a hot potato, it's going to be a big f*** you from Bob Arum and Eddie Hearn to the IBF for stepping up to the plate and going to bat for this guy, breaking their own rules and that's what going to happen. Neither of them will fight Lipinets. I can take bets right now with odds of 100-to-1."

Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com