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Is Masayoshi Nakatani Fighting Vasyl Lomachenko Next? Bob Arum Weighs In

Published 02/13/2021, 9:15 AM EST

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Top Rank’s Bob Arum has revealed what is next for Vasyl Lomachenko. The promoter spoke about the possibility of the Ukrainian facing the highly rated, Masayoshi Nakatani. He even gave a timeline for ‘Hi-Tech’ Lomachenko’s return.

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After a surprising defeat to Teofimo Lopez, Lomachenko has been recovering. However, it now looks like he has recovered sufficiently and is getting ready for his comeback fight.

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His promoter Bob Arum spoke to iFL TV and gave an update about the Ukrainian. He said they’ve spoken to Lomachenko. Arum then added, “He’s tired of fighting in bubbles. He’s a big ticket-seller, so we think we can do a big fight early summer in the United States may be against the Japanese boy [Masayoshi] Nakatani”.

Therefore, Arum showed their intentions to bring back the Ukrainian only when they can have more fans in the stadium. By then, the former champion will have completely recovered from his shoulder injury. However, the former champion may face criticism for his choice of opponent.

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Bob Arum is aware of Masayoshi Nakatani’s prowess

The Japanese boxer is a relatively low-profile fighter in the exciting lightweight division. However, he has the skills to be a top contender and has already shown it before. Arum is aware of his skill set and knows it will be a tough fight.

“Nakatani is a really hard-punching lightweight, and we’re looking towards him as the opponent for Lomachenko,” said the promoter. Nakatani will come into the fight on the back of an impressive victory over Felix Verdejo. Moreover, he pushed Teofimo Lopez all the way in July 2019.

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Given Lopez was the one to beat Lomachenko, all the signs point at this potential fight being a close bout. However, Lomachenko wanted to face Gervonta Davis and claimed that it was the fight to make for his return.

Now, it appears that his team has decided to ease him back into the mix with the champion. Therefore, Lomachenko would need a big performance against the Japanese to make a statement to the division.

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What do you make of this news? Do you think Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani is a good fight?

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Written by:

Leonardo Carvalho

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Leonardo Carvalho is a Boxing Writer for EssentiallySports. Before working as a boxing web journalist, Leonardo dabbled in roles ranging from an SEO specialist to a Chegg expert. Alongside his current role, Leonardo runs a YouTube channel where he combines his passion for fitness with sports.
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