Gervonta Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko are set to enter talks to stage a lightweight unification bout towards the end of the year.
When Devin Haney vacated all four of his 135lbs belts, 36-year-old Lomachenko picked up the vacant IBF with a stoppage win over George Kambosos Jr. Davis, 29, was elevated to WBA Champion and made a first successful defence against Frank Martin this month, also by knockout.
It’s not the first time Lomachenko has been champion in the division, having previously held the unified titles until he was beaten by underdog Teofimo Lopez in 2020.
Lopez – now WBO World Champion one division up at 140 – spoke to Fight Hub TV about the proposed bout, ultimately predicting a ‘Tank’ win on points rather than by stoppage. It would be only the third time in a 30-fight campaign he would go the distance.
“Tank will be nervous going into the fight. Loma will show his skillset. Tank will try and walk him down, Loma needs to go for the body. Tank will try to hurt him head hunting, throwing his favourite shot, his left hand. I just feel like it goes the distance, Tank wins.
[Could there be a] stoppage? I love Loma man, he’s a tough fighter when I faced him, however I just feel like he’s not the same as he once was. But the punch stats Tank showed against Frank Martin, he was losing every round. He was just waiting for that one big shot. He fights like that, Loma wins … However, if they’re wanting that fight, it’s because they believe Tank can beat him because Loma’s on his way out … I think Tank edges it.”
Ahead of the bout, many fans and analysts would back the idea that if it ends early ‘Tank’ will have his hand raised, if it goes the distance, it will be the elite Ukrainian turning back the clock to claim victory. The theory is backed up by the younger man’s tendency to drop rounds in favour of reading his opponent in wait of the perfect knockout blow.
Teofimo returns to the ring this weekend in Miami Beach against contender Steve Claggett.
