By Elisinio Castillo
Jezreel Corrales of Panama is not ruling out the possibility of a unification with Vasyl Lomachenco of Ukraine, provided there is an interesting monetary offer.
Corrales (21-1-8 KOs) is currently the World Boxing Association (WBA) super featherweight champion, while Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs) is the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super featherweight world champion.
"We want to do one or two defenses this year, we'll have no trouble doing that," said Lesbia de Moss, attorney for Corrales. "If there is a possibility of a unification with Lomachenco we would do it, but as long as there is an interesting offer."
Corrales crashed on the scene last year when he knocked out Japan's Takashi Uchiyama in two rounds in April in Japan. Uchiyama was undefeated and considered to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
A rematch took place on December 31, also in Japan, with Corrales winning a tough twelve round split decision over Uchiyama to prove the first fight was no fluke.
According to Corrales' legal adviser, after their first victory over Uchiyama, there was an offer to fight Lomachenko, but the monetary terms were unsatisfactory.
Top Rank, who promote Lomachenko, may come to Corrales with a better offer the second time around. Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum was trying to secure Orlando Salido for an HBO televised rematch with Lomachenko, but the Mexican veteran was also unhappy with the financial offer and now he's pursing other options.
Lomachenko, who saw action in November with a dominant stoppage win over Nicholas Walters in Las Vegas, was being positioned for an HBO televised date in March, but there is no opponent on the horizon. Top Rank continues their hunt for a suitable candidate to fight him in the coming months.
