Vasiliy Lomachenko returns to the ring this weekend for the first time since losing to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020.
The three-weight world champion faces Japan’s Masayoshi Nakatani in Las Vegas on Saturday night and he’ll be aiming to demonstrate that he’s still one of the sport’s most dangerous fighters.
After surrendering his position at the top of the talent laden 135lbs division, Lomachenko has been desperate to settle the score with Lopez this year. The Brooklyn fighter is scheduled to meet George Kambosos at some point in 2021 but he’s currently recovering from Covid-19.
Bob Arum, the promoter of both Lomachenko and Lopez, believes a rematch between the pair is way off but he does insist that the Ukranian only wants big challenges.
“If you look at Lopez, because he didn’t take precautions and got COVID, he will probably only have one more fight this year, and that’ll be the Kambosos fight," said Arum when speaking to Fighthype.
“Obviously, if Lomachenko wins, he doesn’t want to sit around waiting. Lomachenko only wants to fight the best, and who are the best? Maybe Devin Haney or Tank Davis.
"I mean, Loma would consider both of them big challenges, and we would certainly like to make those matches. But again, it takes two to tango.
“Number one, as far as Tank Davis, what does Floyd [Mayweather] think about that? He’s the manager or promoter, and nobody is more of an astute boxing scholar than Floyd Mayweather. He knows boxing."