Canadian welterweight Custio Clayton (18-0) is set to clash with Russia's Sergey Lipinets (16-1-0) for the interim IBF title at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday October 24th live on Showtime. Lipinets is a former IBF 140-pound title holder, but Clayton (pictured) is also no stranger to the big stage. Dubbed "War Machine" due to his versatile, take-on-all-comers’ style, the 2012 Olympian from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is training for his recently announced bout with Lipinets with a fury worthy of his namesake. Coach Eric Belanger, having guided Clayton through the entirety of his pro campaign, has witnessed Clayton's preparation. 

“He’s a coach’s dream. Custio is professional, coachable, regimented… and moreover, he genuinely loves the process. To see his transformation from amateur to pro has been phenomenal,” said Belanger.

 

Pressed to extol the virtues of the undefeated Clayton, Belanger is quick to celebrate the development of his charges’ arsenal. “I believe he has one of the best jabs in the division, especially to the body. It’s devastating, and he’s now coupled it with a great inside game. Custio has the versatility it takes to go through the ranks… he can fight, he can box, he can move. He’s become a complete fighter. Training camp has been brilliant, and we look forward to the challenge.”

 

Although the bout was officially announced on October 15th – due to prior opponent Kudratillo Abdukakhorov having to drop out due to visa issues – Belanger doesn’t view the nine-day turnaround as a late-notice contest. “Custio has been asking for a fight of this magnitude for some time – and we’ve preparing for a challenge like Lipinets. We’ve been training hard for months… and, thanks to his work ethic and dedication, we’ll be ready on October 24th.”

 

 Press Release Written By Brody Drew