Vasiliy Lomachenko: record, next fight and profile →
The original plan was to have the lightweight unification bout between Vasyl Lomachenko and Jose Pedraza take place on December 1st at the Forum in Inglewood, California. Now, it could be moved back a week and to the East Coast.
WBC, IBF lightweight champion Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs) explained that while he's certainly willing to face WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs) in a unification - nobody has contacted him about the fight. Lomachenko is promoted by Top Rank, who promoted the majority of Garcia's career.
After seeing his career stagnant for about a year after his first professional setback in 2017, Jose "Sniper" Pedraza got a second chance to shine on the big boxing stages. Last week, Pedraza became the new lightweight champion (135 pounds) of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) after winning a twelve round unanimous decision over Raymundo Beltran in Glendale, Arizona.
Robert Garcia, the head trainer and older brother of IBF, WBC lightweight champion Mikey Garcia (39-0, 30 KOs), would love to see his brother in a unification with WBA champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. Mikey is hoping to move up by two weight division, to the welterweight limit of 147-pounds, to challenge IBF world champion Errol Spence.
Jose 'Sniper' Pedraza hit the lottery on Saturday night, when he dropped and outboxed Raymundo Beltran to capture the lightweight (135 pounds) title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The victory allowed Pedraza to become a two-division world champion.
More than the WBO lightweight title is on the line when Ray Beltran makes the first defense of that belt against Jose Pedraza from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, California. The winner of the bout is already lined up for a unification with two-time Olympic gold medal winner Vasyl Lomachenko, according to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, who promotes all three of the involved fighters.
This Saturday night from the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, Ray Beltran makes the first defense of his WBO lightweight title versus Jose Pedraza. Originally, this was slated to be a unification bout versus WBA champion Vasyl Lomachenko. But after Lomachenko suffered a torn right labrum during his title winning effort versus Jorge Linares on May 12th and then undergoing surgery, those plans were tabled.
If all goes well for the challenger on Saturday night, Jose Pedraza (24-1) would be penciled in to fight WBA lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko on December 1st in a lightweight unification clash. He must first defeat the reigning WBO lightweight champion Ray Beltran (35-7-1) whom he faces in an ESPN televised main event in the Phoenix area on August 25th.
Ray Beltran is determined to throw a spanner in the works for Vasyl Lomachenko's plans to face Mikey Garcia. Lomachenko is set to return from shoulder surgery in December, with his manager confirming that the winner of Beltran v Jose Pedraza will be his likely opponent.
This past weekend, promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank flew to the Philippines to meet with Manny Pacquiao to discuss the future. Pacquiao, who is coming off a dominant stoppage victory over Lucas Matthysse on July 14th, has made it clear that he was now in charge of running his career. The Matthysse fight, which took place in Malaysia, was self-promoted by Pacquiao.