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The undisputed light-weight championship shall be on the road on May 20 when Devin Haney defends his 4 world titles towards former unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. The bout will happen on the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Top Rank Boxing introduced on Tuesday.
The bout was the anticipated subsequent step for Haney after he efficiently defended his title in a rematch with George Kambosos Jr. in October 2022. Haney received his standing as undisputed in his first combat with Kambosos, a combat he acquired when Lomachenko was compelled out of a bout with Kambosos as a result of Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In October 2020, Lomachenko confronted off with Teofimo Lopez in a bout to unify the 4 acknowledged world titles at light-weight. Lopez received in a light upset earlier than ultimately dropping the belts to Kambosos.
Lomachenko now will get a second crack at turning into undisputed after ripping off three wins for the reason that loss to Lopez. Lomachenko’s 2021 noticed him make mild work of authentic light-weight expertise in Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey, proving he remained one of many high fighters on the planet at 135 kilos.
2022 was not as straightforward. After defending his house nation from the Russian invasion, Lomachenko struggled to take a slim determination towards Jamaine Ortiz. Whether the tepid efficiency towards Ortiz was a results of time catching up with the 35-year-old or just ring rust coupled with months of coping with a horrific struggle in Ukraine stays to be seen.
Haney is trying to additional lock down the light-weight division whereas additionally proving a degree towards Lomachenko. Haney first grew to become WBC light-weight champion in 2019, being promoted from interim champion when Lomachenko was elevated to franchise champion as a substitute of dealing with Haney, whose interim title made him the obligatory challenger for Lomachenko’s belt.
“Devin Haney is the game’s brightest younger famous person, and he is taking up an amazing problem towards considered one of this era’s finest pound-for-pound fighters in Vasiliy Lomachenko. This is what boxing is all about,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum mentioned in an announcement. “Devin and Loma are sensational boxers, and I’m positive will probably be a memorable combat.”
Haney not profitable the title within the ring led to him being labeled an “e-mail champion” by some followers and different fighters, a label he emphatically shed together with his two one-sided drubbings of Kambosos.
