Terry Flanagan Feels Ready, Wants Vasyl Lomachenko Showdown

On Saturday night, Vasyl Lomachenko retained his WBO super-featherweight title with a seven-round demolition of Nicholas Walters.

The fight came to an abrupt end when the Jamaican told referee Tony Weeks before the start of the eighth round, "I don't want to continue."

Two-time Olympic champion Lomachenko registered the biggest victory of his career in dynamic fashion as it was the second defence of his title and just his eighth professional fight. With his victory Lomachenko - who compiled an amateur record of 396-1 with Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 - is now 7-1 as a professional.

Lomachenko dominated the previously unbeaten Walters from the opening bell, scoring at will by landing hard punches in the final round of the beatdown at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

Walters' face showed signs of the punishment, but it appeared that he could have continued if he chose to.

Also on Saturday, but in Cardiff, Wales, WBO lightweight world champion Terry Flanagan dominated and stopped Orlando Cruz in eight rounds.

Prior to the fight, his promoter Frank Warren discussed the possibility of matching him against Lomachenko next year. Flanagan wants that fight to happen.

"If [promoter] Frank Warren can make that fight I would jump at the chance of facing him next year," Flanagan (32-0, 13KOs) told scribe Simon Crawford.

"Everyone would have Lomachenko as a big favourite, but I think with my boxing skills it would would make for a great match-up and, as always, I would be confident in my ability.

"Lomachenko is seen as the best around so for him to move up is a great fight or to get a unification fight would be just as good before I move up, which I will do eventually because I want another world title at a different weight.

According to Warren, he's spoken to Lomachenko's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank. But before Flanagan can get too excited about Lomachenko, he must first face mandatory challenger Felix Verdejo, who is also promoted by Arum.

"I've been talking to Bob Arum and I think it would be a great fight to put on in Manchester - maybe at Manchester City - either in the spring or summer," said Warren.

"I've made no secret of my admiration for Lomachenko or for Terry who I think is one of our better world champions - it would be a tough fight but as I've always said I think Terry thrives on tough fights and I think the harder the fight the more you will get out of him."