The time for talking is over. Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez Jr. finally do battle on Saturday in Las Vegas in a fight two years in the making.
The undefeated Lopez will put his IBF lightweight title up against Lomachenko's WBA, WBO and The Ring belts.
The potentially career-defining bout for Lopez is one the American has targeted for a long time, constantly talking trash about Ukraine's Lomachenko.
“Lomachenko knows he’s on his way out," he said at a recent media huddle. "Nobody knows that, but I do.
"Why would he come to 135? He’s here to cash out. Come on; you get fooled by what you see, because if it doesn’t work, he still has a 'Plan B'.
"You guys all believe it, and it’s like an illusion to you guys. You’ve got to look at why this guy is going to 135. This is not his weight class. I’m going to do my thing on Oct. 17, clean my hands and keep rolling.
“And I’m not looking at Lomachenko. I’m looking through him. What happens if Teofimo takes him to deep waters?"
Lomachenko has mostly brushed off the words of his opponent, but after the fight was made official his warnings grew increasingly stern.
"I understand just one thing. Whatever you say, you must prove it in the ring. That's it," said Lomachenko.
"In my country, if you insult somebody, you'd better be prepared for them to hurt you. If we were back in my country, he would learn pretty quickly that he can't run his mouth like that.
"Whatever I say, I believe in it. So what he's saying, for example, he actually believes. But if he doesn't follow it up with actions and fulfill those words, then he chose those words poorly to begin with.
"I'm definitely not going to feel sorry for him. If I get a chance to cause him pain, I'm going to do it."
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Jr. fight date, start time
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Time (main card): 10 p.m. ET
The main card begins at 10 p.m ET, 7 p.m. local time in Las Vegas (3 a.m. in the U.K.).
The undercard begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Lomachenko vs. Lopez TV channel, live stream
- U.S.: ESPN, ESPN+
- U.K.: FITE
ESPN will be broadcasting the Lomachenko vs. Lopez fight card, which will also be available via ESPN+. Nocturnal fight fans in the U.K., meanwhile, can order the event on Fite for £9.99.
In Canada, the fight is available on TSN.
Where is the Lomachenko vs. Lopez fight?
The show will take place inside the "bubble" at the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip.Vasiliy Lomachenko record and bio
- Nationality: Ukrainian
- Born: Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi
- Height: 5'7"
- Reach: 65 1/2"
- Total fights: 15
- Record: 14-1, 10 KOs
Teofimo Lopez Jr. record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: Brooklyn
- Height: 5'8"
- Reach: 68 1/2"
- Total fights: 15
- Record: 15-0, 12 KOs
Lomachenko vs. Lopez full card
- Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez, 12 rounds for Lomachenko's WBO and WBA lightweight titles and Lopez's IBF lightweight title
- Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Alex Saucedo, 10 rounds at junior welterweight
- Edgar Berlanga vs. Lanell Bellows, 8 rounds at super middleweight
- Josue Vargas vs. Kendo Castaneda, 10 rounds at junior welterweight
- Jose Enrique Durantes Vivas vs. John Vincent Moralde, 8 rounds at featherweight
- Quatavious Cash vs. Quincy LaVallais, 8 rounds at middleweight
- Quinton Randall vs. Jan Carlos Rivera, 6 rounds at welterweight
- Jahi Tucker vs. Charles Garner, 4 rounds at welterweight