The 135-pound division will see a clash of epic proportions as Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez will scrap soon. The bout was in peril as talks began to fall apart due to money issues on Lopez’s side. Lomachenko has reportedly taken a pay-cut to bring the fight to fruition and attempt to collect the IBF strap.
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The fight is being worked for October 17 via ‘The Athletic’ and will take place on ESPN network television. Fight fans will finally see the two elite boxers square–off in what is one of the most exciting bouts of the year. The original date of October 3 fell through, along with the previously problematic negotiations.
Top Rank has finally sketched out the fan-friendly bout that has been on the cards for a while. The Lightweight unification bout will take place in an isolated ‘bubble’ to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The global pandemic has led to several high profile bouts being scrapped or tabled indefinitely for a later date.
Vasiliy Lomachenko x Teofimo Lopez
The multi-institutional super lightweight champion, Lomachenko, looks to add the IBF belt to his stable. He has secured some significant names on his resume, all the while retaining his championship gold. The former Olympian gold medalist fought back in August 2019, winning out over Luke Campbell.
“High-Tech‘s” patented side-step footwork and elusive range-finding abilities have made him look invincible in the ring. He has proved to an enigma for his opponents who are unable to even strike significantly within his range. Boxing fans have been looking forward to the stylistic approach that Lopez will take, ever since the fight was on the horizon.
Chiefly, the undefeated fighter, Teofimo Lopez, is coming off a scintillating KO performance over Richard Commey back in December. He laid to rest questions posed by his detractors after he stopped the durable Ghanaian in the second round. Moreover, he holds impressive wins over Masayoshi Nakatani and Edis Tatli.
The lightweight division will finally find the clarity at the very top that it has been vying for. Additionally, with the aforementioned bout announcement, the winner will look to set their sights on opportunities in neighboring divisions.
