By Steve Kim
This much is clear, WBO featherweight belt-holder Vasyl Lomachenko (5-1, 3KOs) will be fighting on June 11th at the Madison Square Garden in New York. The question is at this point, just who will be his opponent?
Egis Klimas, who manages the southpaw stylist from the Ukraine tweeted on Thursday afternoon (@KlimasBoxing):
"Javier Fortuna for Lomachenko on June 11th. WBA title! Great our team looking forward!!!"
But that fight is not yet finalized. Rocky Martinez, who holds the 130-pound WBO belt, is also in the running.
Klimas explained - "Well, if Rocky steps back, Fortuna has already agreed to fight. That's what I was told. So Lomachenko is going to fight no matter what. Is that going to be Fortuna, is that going to be Martinez? Any champion at 130-pound division, we're fighting."
Fortuna (29-0-1, 21KOs) holds a version of the WBA strap.
"That's why I tweeted because I talked to Top Rank and they said either/or we're fighting on June 11th. We have other champions to fight so we shouldn't worry about it," said Klimas.
Asked his preference of the two, Klimas answered - "They're both good fighters, they're both champions. It really doesn't matter. WBO is good, WBA is good, all solid. Both of them good fighters, we really don't care."
Fortuna is promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing. Sampson confirmed the negotiations with Top Rank for a Lomachenko match. Martinez is handled by Puerto Rico Best Boxing. Both Fortuna and Martinez are advised by Al Haymon.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.