Vasily Lomachenko returned to New York

One of the most outstanding boxers of our time, Vasily Lomachenko, will return to the ring in October after a break that lasted almost a year. The Ukrainian lightweight is waiting for a duel with the American Jamaine Ortiz, in which a very valuable bonus is at stake. This is an opportunity to fight for the status of the absolute world champion in the category up to 61.2 kg in the next fight.

promotion company Top Rank announced a major show on October 29 at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Its central event will be the fight between Vasily Lomachenko and Jamaine Ortiz, the hype around which is provided by the background of the Ukrainian athlete.

Lomachenko, who is 34 years old, is an absolute boxing phenomenon. A two-time Olympic champion, who was practically invulnerable in amateurs, thanks to his unique technique, he also made a chic professional career. Already in the third fight within its framework, in 2014, Lomachenko was able to win the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight championship belt (up to 57.2 kg). Later, he won the world title in two heavier categories – up to 59 kg and up to 61.2 kg, and achieved tremendous popularity with the public with his flamboyant style.

The intrigue related to his future arose in October 2020. Vasily Lomachenko, owning three lightweight championship titles – WBO, World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), – tried to add to them the title of the International Boxing Federation (IBF), the only one that he lacked for a complete set . It belonged to the young Cuban Teofimo Lopez. Lopez, due to lack of experience, was considered a clear underdog in a match against an outstanding opponent, who often climbed to the top of the most respected rankings of the strongest fighters, regardless of weight category, but sensationally overcame him on points.

Restoring his reputation and re-acquiring the opportunity to participate in top battles, Vasily Lomachenko confidently coped with two rather strong opponents – Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey. And at the beginning of this year, Lomachenko had again fight for the titles of the best lightweight. True, it no longer belonged to Teofimo Lopez, but to the Australian George Cambosos, who managed to beat the Cuban.

But then another incident happened.

After the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, Vasily Lomachenko joined the ranks of the territorial defense. So did his famous heavyweight compatriot Oleksandr Usyk.

Usyk, however, is quite fast left home, so as not to interrupt his sports career, and in August he achieved success in one of the main fights of the year. He defeated Briton Anthony Joshua for the second time, defending the IBF, WBA and WBO championship belts. The return of Vasily Lomachenko to boxing was slightly delayed. He started training regularly only in the summer, and the gap between his last performance – against Commey in the same Madison Square Garden – and the fight with Ortiz will be almost a year.

The head of Top Rank Bob Arum, characterizing Lomachenko’s opponent, called him a “young and hungry” boxer. Although, in fact, Jamaine Ortiz would also fit the characterization of “mysterious”. The 26-year-old Ortiz turned pro in 2017 and has not yet suffered a single defeat, even earning flattering assessments of talent from some experts. But this talent has not yet passed a real test of strength. Ortiz did not intersect with elite opponents and did not even hold 12-round fights. And opponents of just a strong level used to give him serious problems. For example, before getting a draw against Joseph Adorno in April last year, Jamaine Ortiz was knocked down twice.

There is no prestigious formal prize at stake in the October match. But the actual bonus is extremely valuable.

Bob Arum warned in advance that the winner of the fight would fight for the status of the undisputed lightweight champion of the world, meaning, of course, that he sees Vasily Lomachenko as a contender for him. Moreover, this status is no longer with Kambosos, but with Devin Haney. Haney is a skyrocketing American superstar. By the age of 23, he had amassed an amazing record of victories. Devin Haney already has 28 of them. The most recent was won just over Kambosos in June in Australia. True, the fighters have yet to have a rematch in mid-October.

Alexey Dospekhov