Vasiliy Lomachenko likes what he sees from Gervonta Davis — he just wants to see him in situations where the stakes are much, much higher.
The three-division titlist from Ukraine, and current lightweight contender, recently expounded on the puncher from Baltimore, praising, on the one hand, his ability in the ring, while, on the other, decrying his relative lack of top competition, especially as it relates to the 135-pound division.
Lomachenko, 34, pointed to Davis’ unanimous decision over then unheralded Isaac Cruz last December as a kind of litmus test. The 27-year-old Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) has knocked out all but two of his opponents in his career. He is coming off a sixth-round stoppage of Rolando Romero in May.
“Look, he (Davis) never fought with top, top fighters,” Lomachenko told ESNews. “Isaac Cruz … before this fight, I never hear about him. I never know about him, but now he deserves his place in a top fight. After the fight (with Davis), he (Cruz) showed how he can beat the top fighters.”
Davis has repeatedly hinted that he may be headed for a December fight with lightweight rival Ryan Garcia. The two have frequently traded barbs over social media and dropped plenty of suggestions that they are in talks to face each other next. If that fight materializes, it would likely quell some of the criticism that Davis, a popular draw, has garnered over the years. Aside from Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) and Garcia, the lightweight division is chock full of top talent, including its undisputed champion Devin Haney and newcomer Shakur Stevenson. Lomachenko, Haney, and Stevenson, it should be noted, all operate under the Top Rank promotional banner; Davis is backed by Premier Boxing Champions, a rival outfit.
“But I didn’t see Davis with good opposition in 135 pounds,” Lomachenko said. “I’ve never seen it. He’s a boxer who understands boxing and who knows what he needs to do in the ring. But people need to see his skills with other guys.
"He has a very good power. He knows when he need to use … his big punch, and he keep very good distance. But he’s at top. He’s at top. But again, I want to see him with a top, top boxer in our weight class.”
Lomachenko is gearing up for his ring return against Jamaine Ortiz Oct. 29 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The fight will mark the first time Lomachenko — who put his boxing career on hold earlier this year to partake in his country’s war effort against Russia — has fought since last October, when he outpointed Richard Commey by unanimous decision.
