Jaron Ennis vs. Sergey Lipinets: What are the odds?
The oddsmakers evidently are convinced that Jaron Ennis is a special fighter.
The 23-year-old 147-pound contender is about a 9-1 favorite over Sergey Lipinets going into their fight Saturday on Showtime even though Lipinets is a former 140-pound titleholder and more experienced in big fights.
The 9-1 odds are a rough average of multiple betting websites. The odds on a draw are about +2200, or 22-1.
The fight headlines a card at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., which is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) is coming off a no-contest in December against Chris van Heerden, who was cut in the first round as the result of an accidental head butt and couldn’t continue.
Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) last fought in October, when he drew with Custio Clayton.
Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.
Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.
The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.
Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.
“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.
“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.
The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.
That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.
Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.
A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.
Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.
At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.
And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.
“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”
Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.
“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”
In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”
Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.
“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.
“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”
Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.
Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.
The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.
Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.
“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.
“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.
The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.
That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.
Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.
A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.
Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.
At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.
And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.
“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”
Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.
“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”
In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”
Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.
“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.
“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”
Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.
Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.
The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.
Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.
“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.
“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.
The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.
That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.
Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.
A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.
Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.
At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.
And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.
“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”
Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.
“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”
In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”
Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.
“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.
“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”
Jaron Ennis sees his fight against Sergey Lipinets as a stepping stone to stardom.
Jaron Ennis has been waiting eagerly for this sort of step-up fight.
The 23-year-old welterweight contender, who faces former 140-pound titleholder Sergey Lipinets on Saturday, has been beating up on second-tier opponents. He hopes a victory over a more-respected foe will put him on a collision course with the best at 147.
Ennis and Lipinets will fight at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn. The card is on Showtime.
“I’ve been trying to get these kind of guys in the ring for two, two and half years, top guys, world champions, Top 10 guys. And it didn’t happen,” Ennis said on a conference call. “Now you’re about to see a different animal, a whole different beast.
“It’s time for me to do my thing. I’m really excited.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLILO-YGTiE
Ennis (26-0, 24 KOs) has been doing his thing since turning pro in 2016, which is to dominate one opponent after another with skills that some have compared to a prime Roy Jones Jr.
The Philadelphian appears to the eye to have it all – speed, athleticism, power, ring intelligence, a fighting spirit, you name it. He just hasn’t had the opportunity to prove it against a high-caliber opponent.
That’s where Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) comes in. The Los Angeles-based Kazakhstani is respected for his solid skill set and attacking style, which allowed him to win a junior welterweight title by outpointing Akihiro Kondo in 2017.
Lipinets’ only loss came by a unanimous decision against probable Hall of Famer Mikey Garcia in 2018, which cost him his belt.
A victory over Lipinets – particularly an impressive one – would demonstrate to fans and his rivals that he’s as good as he has appeared to be. And, as he said, it should lead to bigger and better things.
Ennis was willing to discuss his immediate future but circled back to the task at hand several times during the conference call. Fighters in general don’t look past the man or woman directly in front of them, particularly proven entities like Lipinets.
At the same time, Ennis’ exudes confidence. He’s not cocky; he simply has unwavering belief in himself.
And while he respects Lipinets and what he’s accomplished, he believes his opponent’s style is perfect suited to his. It will be as if Lipinets is walking face first into a chain saw, Ennis predicted.
“It’s picture perfect,” Ennis said. “He’ll be running into shots all night long. It will be a long night for him.”
Ennis also was informed that Lipinets had suggested Ennis might run from him during the fight even though the latter also fights aggressively. Ennis smiled at that notion, as if to say Lipinets is in for a surprise if that’s what he believes.
“They don’t’ know what I’m going to bring,” he said. “I’m an all-around fighter. They don’t know how I’ll fight, I fight several different ways. Why say stuff like that? They don’t know how I’m going to come. They just know they need to be ready.”
In other words: “I know what I’m capable of, I know what I’m going to do.”
Then, if things go well, it’s on to the Terence Crawfords, Errol Spences and Manny Pacquiao’s of the world. At least that’s the plan.
“After I do my thing on Saturday – make a big statement in high fashion – it’s only up from there,” Ennis said. “… It’s on to the bigger, better, elite fighters, the Top 3 guys, maybe a world title shot by the end of the year.
“I believe my ranking will be up. … It will be the start of me becoming a pay-per-view star.”
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Ennis 9-1 favorite
Also on the card: Eimantas Stanionis vs. Thomas Dulorme, welterweights; Jerwin Ancajas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, junior bantamweights (for Ancajas’ IBF title)
Prediction: Ennis KO 8
Background: Ennis, 23, is one of the most promising young fighters in the world. The gifted Philadelphian is quick, slick and can end any fight in an instant; he has scored 15 consecutive knockouts in completed fights. His most-recent outing, against veteran Chris van Heerden in December, was ruled a no-contest after van Heerden was cut on the forehead by an accidental head butt in the opening round and couldn’t continue. Ennis is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies. Thus, a victory on Saturday would bring him a significant step closer to his first title shot. Lipinets, ranked by two organizations, is Ennis’ toughest test – at least on paper. The Los Angeles-based Russian, a rugged, aggressive fighter, is a former junior welterweight titleholder who is 3-0-1 as a welterweight. He’s coming off a hard-fought majority draw against capable Custio Clayton in October. Another unbeaten young contender, Eimantas Stanionis (12-0, 9 KOs), faces his greatest test on the card. The Los Angeles area-based Lithuanian will take on former title challenger Thomas Dulorme (25-4-1, 16 KOs), who is 1-2-1 in his last four fights but seen as a solid stepping stone for a rising contender. Stanionis is 26.
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn.
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Welterweight (147 pounds)
At stake: No titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Ennis 9-1 favorite
Also on the card: Eimantas Stanionis vs. Thomas Dulorme, welterweights; Jerwin Ancajas vs. Jonathan Rodriguez, junior bantamweights (for Ancajas’ IBF title)
Prediction: Ennis KO 8
Background: Ennis, 23, is one of the most promising young fighters in the world. The gifted Philadelphian is quick, slick and can end any fight in an instant; he has scored 15 consecutive knockouts in completed fights. His most-recent outing, against veteran Chris van Heerden in December, was ruled a no-contest after van Heerden was cut on the forehead by an accidental head butt in the opening round and couldn’t continue. Ennis is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies. Thus, a victory on Saturday would bring him a significant step closer to his first title shot. Lipinets, ranked by two organizations, is Ennis’ toughest test – at least on paper. The Los Angeles-based Russian, a rugged, aggressive fighter, is a former junior welterweight titleholder who is 3-0-1 as a welterweight. He’s coming off a hard-fought majority draw against capable Custio Clayton in October. Another unbeaten young contender, Eimantas Stanionis (12-0, 9 KOs), faces his greatest test on the card. The Los Angeles area-based Lithuanian will take on former title challenger Thomas Dulorme (25-4-1, 16 KOs), who is 1-2-1 in his last four fights but seen as a solid stepping stone for a rising contender. Stanionis is 26.
Sergey Lipinets and Custio Clayton fought to a majority draw in an “interim” welterweight title fight Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
Sergey Lipinets and Custio Clayton had hoped to earn a welterweight title shot Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. Instead, they solved nothing in an interesting, but inclusive fight.
Lipinets and Clayton fought to a majority draw in what was billed as an IBF “interim” title fight meant to establish a mandatory challenger for the belt currently held by Errol Spence Jr., who defends against Danny Garcia on Dec. 5.
The fight was a contrast in styles. The plodding Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) stalked Clayton (18-0-1, 12 KOs) from beginning to end, pounding his body whenever he was able to get close enough to him and never taking a backward step.
Clayton, a slick 2012 Olympian, fought behind a busy jab and landed more than enough power shots to stop Lipinets in his tracks at times. And the Canadian’s quick feet and quick thinking made it difficult for Lipinets to cut off the ring with any consistency.
The judges must’ve been asking themselves: Do we give Lipinets credit for his aggression and consistent body work? Or do we give Clayton the nod because of his sharp jab and eye-catching shots to the head?
In the end, they gave both fighters enough credit to land on a draw. Don Trella scored it 115-113 for Clayton, as did Boxing Junkie. Glenn Feldman and Tom Schreck both had it 114-114.
“I thought I won the fight, but Clayton is a good fighter,” Lipinets said. “He was stronger than I thought he’d be. I haven’t fought in a year and it shows. I need to get my rhythm back in a couple of fights before I face the top level fighters.”
Said Clayton: “At the end of the day, you can’t knock the judges’ decision, but I thought that I landed the cleaner shots and won. He came forward a lot, but he wasn’t landing as much.
“I probably could have pushed more a little earlier, but at the same time, I knew he was strong. I thought I stayed patient and poised. I could have put combinations together quicker, but overall I thought I fought a smart fight and pulled it off.”
It’s no surprise that neither fighter was satisfied with the decision. Again, they hoped to take a significant step in their careers and thought they did. At the same time, neither lost ground.
Lipinets, a former 140-pound titleholder, maintained his position as a legitimate 147-pound contender. He’ll get another opportunity against an elite opponent.
Clayton probably accomplished a little more. He had never fought anyone of Lipinets’ stature even though he’s a 33-year-old contender. He left no doubt on Friday that he can compete at the elite level. He too will be heard from again.
Maybe they’ll just have to do it again.
“I showed the world that I’m not just a guy from Canada,” Clayton said. “I proved I’m a good fighter. People will have to respect me a little bit more. If Lipinets wants the rematch for the interim title, we should be able to make that happen.”
“For the interim title, I’ll be ready for a rematch with Clayton.”
Sergey Lipinets and Custio Clayton fought to a majority draw in an “interim” welterweight title fight Saturday in Uncasville, Conn.
Sergey Lipinets and Custio Clayton had hoped to earn a welterweight title shot Saturday in Uncasville, Conn. Instead, they solved nothing in an interesting, but inclusive fight.
Lipinets and Clayton fought to a majority draw in what was billed as an IBF “interim” title fight meant to establish a mandatory challenger for the belt currently held by Errol Spence Jr., who defends against Danny Garcia on Dec. 5.
The fight was a contrast in styles. The plodding Lipinets (16-1-1, 12 KOs) stalked Clayton (18-0-1, 12 KOs) from beginning to end, pounding his body whenever he was able to get close enough to him and never taking a backward step.
Clayton, a slick 2012 Olympian, fought behind a busy jab and landed more than enough power shots to stop Lipinets in his tracks at times. And the Canadian’s quick feet and quick thinking made it difficult for Lipinets to cut off the ring with any consistency.
The judges must’ve been asking themselves: Do we give Lipinets credit for his aggression and consistent body work? Or do we give Clayton the nod because of his sharp jab and eye-catching shots to the head?
In the end, they gave both fighters enough credit to land on a draw. Don Trella scored it 115-113 for Clayton, as did Boxing Junkie. Glenn Feldman and Tom Schreck both had it 114-114.
“I thought I won the fight, but Clayton is a good fighter,” Lipinets said. “He was stronger than I thought he’d be. I haven’t fought in a year and it shows. I need to get my rhythm back in a couple of fights before I face the top level fighters.”
Said Clayton: “At the end of the day, you can’t knock the judges’ decision, but I thought that I landed the cleaner shots and won. He came forward a lot, but he wasn’t landing as much.
“I probably could have pushed more a little earlier, but at the same time, I knew he was strong. I thought I stayed patient and poised. I could have put combinations together quicker, but overall I thought I fought a smart fight and pulled it off.”
It’s no surprise that neither fighter was satisfied with the decision. Again, they hoped to take a significant step in their careers and thought they did. At the same time, neither lost ground.
Lipinets, a former 140-pound titleholder, maintained his position as a legitimate 147-pound contender. He’ll get another opportunity against an elite opponent.
Clayton probably accomplished a little more. He had never fought anyone of Lipinets’ stature even though he’s a 33-year-old contender. He left no doubt on Friday that he can compete at the elite level. He too will be heard from again.
Maybe they’ll just have to do it again.
“I showed the world that I’m not just a guy from Canada,” Clayton said. “I proved I’m a good fighter. People will have to respect me a little bit more. If Lipinets wants the rematch for the interim title, we should be able to make that happen.”
“For the interim title, I’ll be ready for a rematch with Clayton.”
Sergey Lipinets looks forward to facing one of the top welterweights but must get past Custio Clayton on Friday first.
Sergey Lipinets believes he’s as good as the top welterweights in the world.
And so far things have gone well at 147 pounds for the former 140-pound champ: Three welterweight fights, three victories since he lost his title to Mikey Garcia by a unanimous decision in March 2018.
Next up: Undefeated former Olympian Custio Clayton on Saturday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
No. 1-ranked Kudratillo Abjukakhorov, an Uzbek who lives in Malaysia, was scheduled to fight Lipinets but had to pull out because of visa issues. Clayton replaced him about a week ago.
The bout is being billed as an IBF “interim” title fight, meaning the winner will be in position to challenge champion Errol Spence Jr. if he gets past Danny Garcia on Dec. 5. Lipinets is ranked No. 3, Clayton No. 5.
That’s what Lipinets is after, a chance to prove he belongs among the elite.
“I don’t look past Clayton,” he said. “I have to win that fight and I’m 100 percent focused on him. But I do believe that I belong on the level with Errol Spence Jr. and the other elite welterweights. I think I’ve shown that my whole career.
“Before I can look at a fight against Spence or Danny Garcia, I have to win on Saturday.”
Sergey Lipinets (left) and Custio Clayton will meet Saturday for an “interim” welterweight title. Amanda Westcott / Showtime
Clayton (18-0, 12 KOs) is no pushover. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 Olympics for his native Canada and has not been seriously challenged as a pro.
The downside for Clayton might be his lack of experience in big professional fights. He has never faced a fighter at Lipinets’ level and has never fought outside Canada, which is unusual for a 33-year-old contender.
Lipinets (16-1, 12 KOs) has shown Clayton nothing but respect.
“Clayton is definitely a great fighter,” he said. “He was an Olympian, which says a lot in itself. He’s shown in the pros that he can punch well, so we know he’s dangerous. We both come forward and try to fight. It’s going to be a very entertaining fight.”
Lipinets, a Los Angeles-based native of Kazakhstan, said he and trainer Joe Goossen easily adjusted to the change of opponents.
“We stayed in the gym the whole time,” he said. “Joe Goossen kept us working every day of the week. We were actually getting ready for several possible opponents at once. Everything really went as planned.
“Clayton’s name was thrown out probably a month ago as a possibility. Joe took care of studying him initially. About a week ago we got everything solidified, but we had already worked with sparring partners to prepare for someone like Clayton.
“It was really all about Joe putting pieces together for my style no matter who we were going to face. People might not think it, but I can box and move around the ring well. Joe has added elements to it that made it a more fluid style.”
Clayton is thrilled the have the opportunity. And he says he’s ready.
“The truth is that I’ve been preparing for the possibility of this fight for four or five weeks,” he said. “I’m not underprepared whatsoever. I was ready to fight when I got the call. How do you say no to a fight like this? I have had a great camp and I feel confident and ready for Saturday night.
“I think this is a very good matchup. Lipinets is a very good fighter. He’s a former world champion and from what I’ve seen he always comes to fight. Most people look at me as an aggressive fighter as well. I always like to bang, but I think you are going to see a different side to me.
“People who know me know that I’m very low-key and laid back, so not much gets to me, but this is a very, very big opportunity and I’m thankful for it. I’m not the type to jump in excitement but I am definitely very happy that I got the call for this fight. Now we are focused on preparing for Lipinets.”
Clayton, a native of Nova Scotia who fights out of Ottawa. is known as a good boxer who can also punch, but he believes it’s the former that will be the key for him on Saturday.
“I think my boxing ability is going to be the biggest factor in this fight,” he said. “It’s just that nobody has seen it yet. That will be the big key. People don’t understand how smart I am. I don’t look at the size. I’m prepared for whatever.”
“I think a win would do a lot for the reputation of Canadian boxers. It will show that we do have some fighters that when they get the opportunity, can take advantage of it. We have a couple fighters like Jean Pascal and hopefully that I can show I can be another one.
“All the hard work I did back in Nova Scotia, it shows that people can take different routes to chase their dreams. A win would mean a lot to me and to Novia Scotia.”
