Vasyl Lomachenko to make ring return in December following comeback win

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has revealed that lightweight Vasyl Lomachenko looks set to headline a card on December 11, as he continues his comeback from unified world title defeat to Teofimo Lopez

Bob Arum has confirmed that Lomachenko will return to the ring on December 11 after his recent victory over Masayoshi Nakatani.

The Ukranian lost his world titles with defeat to Teofimo Lopez in a unified world title contest by unanimous decision back in October 2020, but has since made a comeback to the ring by defeating Nakatani with a ninth round stoppage.

Bob Arum has confirmed that Lomachenko will return to the ring on December 11 after his recent victory over Masayoshi Nakatani.

The Ukranian lost his world titles with defeat to Teofimo Lopez in a unified world title contest by unanimous decision back in October 2020, but has since made a comeback to the ring by defeating Nakatani with a ninth round stoppage.

And the Ukrainian looks set to make his second outing into the ring this year in the final month December with Arum confirming the date as the most likely target despite uncertainty regarding a potential opponent.

According to Dan Rafael of World Boxing News, Arum confirmed that Vasyl Lomachenko will headline a Top Rank card on December 11, to keep in line with the tradition of staging a fight card on the day of Heisman awards which will take place on ESPN before the action begins.

The former lightweight world champion has fought in front of crowds in New York previously, fighting the likes of Guillermo Rigondeaux, Jorge Linares and Jose Pedraza around the city, so is the "likely bet" to headline the card.


Opponents such as Jovani Straffon, Richard Comney and Rolando Romero could be shortlisted for the contest, having previously been linked with the lightweight as he fights his way back to the top.

His former rival Lopez has had his fight postponed recently as a result of a positive Covid-19 test with the contest previously set to take place on Triller, and he will now also face his opponent mandatory challenger George Kambosos later in the year.

Lomachenko expressed his delight at his previous victory, and reiterated his desire to have a rematch with Lopez further down the line after his recovery from defeat.

“Everybody saw how I won this fight, and everybody is waiting for the rematch (with Lopez), so let’s make a rematch,” said Lomachenko after his previous fight.

“All the strategies that we developed with my team (worked). I reached all my goals. I won and now I’m back on track.”

American promoter Arum has also promised to reopen talks to schedule the undisputed fight between his fighter Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua for a date next year, and also expressed to the fighters that they 'owe it to the fans' for it to be staged in the UK.

"Joshua is fighting in September, we are fighting in October. Obviously [Joshua vs Fury] will take place next year.

My position is: if Fury and Joshua win, screw any mandatories!

"My hope is that the fight goes to the UK.

Both fighters owe the UK fans this tremendous event at Wembley or Cardiff, rather than taking it to a foreign country."

Fury first has to progress beyond American heavyweight rival Deontay Wilder in a trilogy bout that has been rescheduled for October after a positive Covid-19 test in Fury's camp.

The virus has also claimed another headline main event, after British welterweight Conor Benn has been forced to withdraw from his Fight Camp clash with Adrian Granados due to a positive Covid-19 test.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxin...eturn-24644277