Newly-crowned IBF super lightweight champion Sergey Lipinets may have a fight against Adrien Broner next year, but the organization is already prepping Lipinets for his next challenger after Broner.
According to ESPN's Dan Rafael, the IBF has ordered No. 4 Ivan Baranchyk to face No. 7 Hiroki Okada to determine Lipinets’ mandatory challenger. Baranchyk's promoter Lou DiBella and Okada's promoter Kadoebi Promotions need to conclude negotiations by December 6 or else a purse bid will be ordered.
Baranchyk has fought his past six fights in Miami, capturing the USBA super lightweight title. Baranchyk is coming off a unanimous decision win over Keenan Smith back in July, marking his second win in 2017. The 24-year-old Belarus native has won all 17 of his professional fights, winning 10 of those fights via knockout.
Okada, who has fought his entire professional career in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall, is also undefeated in his pro career. Okada is actually scheduled to fight Jason Pagara for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super lightweight title on December 19 in Korakuen Hall. Okada is a former Japanese super lightweight champion.
Lipinets won the then-vacant title on the Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne 2 undercard on November 4 when he beat Akihiro Kondo via unanimous decision (118-110, 117-110, 117-110). The title got vacated earlier this year by Terence Crawford after Crawford unified all four major world titles at super lightweight, but Crawford is in the process of moving up to welterweight where he will challenge for the WBO welterweight title next year.
