The undisputed light-weight championship shall be on the road on Might 20 when Devin Haney defends his 4 world titles in opposition to former unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. The bout will happen on the MGM Grand Backyard Enviornment in Las Vegas, Prime 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 battle with Kambosos, a battle he acquired when Lomachenko was pressured out of a bout with Kambosos because of the 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 gentle 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 because the loss to Lopez. Lomachenko’s 2021 noticed him make mild work of reputable light-weight expertise in Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey, proving he remained one of many prime fighters on this planet at 135 kilos.
2022 was not as straightforward. After defending his residence nation from the Russian invasion, Lomachenko struggled to take a slim choice in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz. Whether or not the tepid efficiency in opposition to 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 conflict in Ukraine stays to be seen.
Haney is trying to additional lock down the light-weight division whereas additionally proving a degree in opposition to 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 an alternative of going through Haney, whose interim title made him the necessary challenger for Lomachenko’s belt.
“Devin Haney is the game’s brightest younger famous person, and he is taking over an amazing problem in opposition to certainly one of this technology’s greatest pound-for-pound fighters in Vasiliy Lomachenko. That is what boxing is all about,” Prime Rank chairman Bob Arum mentioned in a press release. “Devin and Loma are sensational boxers, and I am positive will probably be a memorable battle.”
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 along with his two one-sided drubbings of Kambosos.