By Ryan Burton

BoxingScene.com was on hand at a recent training session for WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares (44-3) who is winding down his training camp for his May 12th showdown against Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1). The fight is one of the most anticipated of the year and will air on ESPN from the Madison Square Garden in New York.

The contest was very difficult to put together for many reasons with the main one being that the Canelo Alvarez-Gennady Golovkin replay of their May 5th pay-per-view was scheduled to run on May 12th as part of another Golden Boy card that is being televised by HBO.

Golden Boy promotes Linares along with Teiken Promotions and they were able to strike a deal with Lomachenko's promoter Top Rank when ESPN agreed to start the telecast at 8pm eastern so it wouldn't go head to head against HBO's card.

A few weeks later the start time wasn't as important as the Alvarez-Golovkin fight was scrapped when Canelo tested positive for Clenbuterol so now there will not be a replay to air on May 12th.

While the negotiations were ongoing, Linares began his camp in Japan where Teiken's headquarters are located.  Even though the fight appeared to be dead on more than one occasion, Linares said that he always had faith that the fight would happen.

"Since the beginning I was confident that we would get the fight. He wanted the fight and I wanted the fight. I was very anxious because the date was in place and the venue was in place. I am very thankful for Teiken Promotions, Golden Boy and Top Rank for giving me the opportunity of a life time and for making my dream come true of fighting at Madison Square Garden for the first time in my career and what could be better than doing it against the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world," Linares told BoxingScene.com.

"It was very complicated.  Golden Boy and Top Rank don't have the best relationship but they were able to make a deal. I especially want to thank Mr. Honda of Teiken Promotions because he played a key part of making this fight happen.  Both of us fighters wanted this fight and I am very happy that we were able to make it happen."

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