Vasyl Lomachenko Talks on Potential Fight with Shakur Stevenson
Two-division champion Shakur Stevenson (19-0, 9 KOs) fancies a fight at some point with three-division champion Vasyl “Loma” Lomachencko (16-2, 11 KOs) and has said that Loma is a dream fight. After taking a sabbatical to be with his comrades in Ukraine as that nation is currently at war with Russia, Lomachenko returns to the ring on October 29 against Jamaine Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
But before that contest, the Ukrainian attended Sebastian Fundora’s victory over Carlos Ocampo in Carson, California on October 8. Speaking with the boxing media ringside, Lomachenko was asked about Stevenson. Harking back to sparring sessions between the two southpaws a few years ago, Loma lauded the American’s abilities in the ring.
SHOWING SHAKUR RESPECT
“He’s a good boxer. He’s a smart boxer, a very technical boxer […] Then, I sparred with him it was 126, 130 pounds. Now, he’s much bigger, I think he has much more power. So, now it will be very interesting.”
Boxing enthusiasts would more than welcome this match-up. Like Stevenson, the former pound for pound king is technically sound with an advanced ring IQ. You would have two slick craftsmen pitting their high-level skills against one another. It would be the ultimate pugilistic chess match. Additionally, both are promoted by Top Rank.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES?
It will be some time before that bout could potentially happen. Should Lomachenko defeats Ortiz, the presumption is he would face the winner of the October 15 rematch between undisputed lightweight king Devin Haney and George Kambosos Jr.
But Top Rank CEO Bob Arum publicly stated that Lomachenko-Stevenson is a fight that needs to happen. One would think the company has created a flowchart drawn, assuming Lomachenko were to defeat Ortiz and Haney defeats Kambosos again.
When it comes to Top Rank, if Arum is talking up a particular fight, it’s likely to happen more times than not. There are plenty of what-ifs and hoops that must be gone through. But a match between Loma and Stevenson at some point in 2023 is something fans should pay close attention on.
By: Michael Wilson Jr.
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