Another high-profile scrap is set to unfold this weekend, with Vasyl Lomachenko defending his WBO title against Nicholas Walters at the Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas. Like last Saturday’s meaningful elite matchup, Kovalev vs Ward, this Junior Lightweight event is another must-see clash of unbeaten top-draw talent.
Walters may have fallen off the radar slightly in recent times (inactivity since last December in a thriving division will do that to a fighter), but it’s fair to say boxing fans should expect Walters, still well in his prime, to bring his A game. And especially for a high risk-high reward meeting like this.
Lomachenko recently became a whole lot more mainstream after an all-business masterclass beatdown of then-WBO champ Roman Martinez in June. Lomachenko had been criticized for not sitting down on his punches enough in previous outings – still throwing a little too ‘Amateur’, you could say – but his outta-nowhere one-punch knockout spiced up his appeal considerably.
Lomachenko became a two-weight world champion that night with just seven fights on the slate, highlighting the special kind of talent this P4P climber possesses. Speaking of P4P Rankings, if Lomachenko looks great on Saturday night, it’ll surely be up for debate whether he deserves to enter into the Top 5.
Walters, who will be ending his eleven-month departure from the ring, is a former Featherweight champion. He captured the WBA portion back in 2012, and went on to defend it in style against the likes of Nonito Donaire and Miguel Marriaga before climbing up to Junior Lightweight to pound out a Draw against tenacious spoiler (and now formidable WBA champ) Jason Sosa.
So, Lomachenko vs Walters is quite a doozy on paper. Two great fighters, plenty to speak of in way of skill sets, and it’s all complemented by notable firepower, probably the more so from Walters. While it’s undeniable Lomachenko has the upper hand when it comes to footwork and overall ability, there is definitely risk involved. Walters isn’t huge for the weight, but he’s got an inch on Lomachenko, not to mention a lofty seven-inch reach advantage.
Boxing Base is looking forward to this one. And so should you.
Fight Time, TV Channel, Undercard
You can catch all the fight night action Saturday, November 26th, on HBO from 10:30pm ET and Boxnation from 3:00am GMT. The main event will be supported by a few prospect-loaded bouts in the form of:
- Konstantin Ponomarev (30-0, 13 KO) vs Silverio Ortiz (35-18, 17 KO) – Welterweight, 8 rounds
- Egidijus Kavaliauskas (15-0, 12 KO) vs Juan Ruiz (17-0, 10 KO) – Welterweight, 8 rounds
- Trevor McCumby (23-0, 18 KO) vs Donovan George (25-6-2, 22 KO) – Light Heavyweight, 8 rounds
Lomachenko vs Walters: Tale of the Tape
Vasyl Lomachenko
General/Physical:
Record: 6-1, 4 KO … Birthplace: Ukraine … Age: 28 … Height/Reach: 5’ 6”/66” … Stance: Southpaw … BB Ranking: No.3 (130 lbs), No.7 (P4P)
Pro Career:
Debut: 2013 … Bouts: 7 … KO Ratio: 57% … Last 5 Fights: 5-0, 3 KO … Rounds Boxed: 64 … 12-Rounders Completed: 3 … Undefeated Fighters Beaten: 1 … Latest Bout: Roman Martinez (KO 5) … Notable Bouts: Roman Martinez (KO 5), Gary Russell Jr (UD 12), Orlando Salido (LOSS: SD 12)
World Championships:
Record: 5-1, 3 KO … Successful Defenses: 3 … Major Titles Won: WBO (126, 130 lbs) … Currently Held: WBO (130 lbs)
Here’s some HBO Boxing highlights of Lomachenko’s stunning victory over Roman Martinez:
Nicholas Walters
General/Physical:
Record: 26-0-1, 21 KO … Birthplace: Jamaica … Age: 30 … Height/Reach: 5’ 7/73” … Stance: Orthodox … BB Ranking: Unranked (in Top 10)
Pro Career:
Debut: 2008 … Bouts: 27 … KO Ratio: 78% … Last 5 Fights: 4-0-1, 3 KO … Rounds Boxed: 137 … 12-Rounders Completed: 1 … Undefeated Fighters Beaten: 3 … Latest Bout: Jason Sosa (DRAW 10) … Notable Bouts: Jason Sosa (DRAW 10), Miguel Marriaga (UD 12), Nonito Donaire (TKO 6), Vic Darchinyan (KO 5)
World Championships:
Record: 5-0, 4 KO … Successful Defenses: 4 … Major Titles Won: WBA (126 lbs) … Currently Held: None
Here’s some Top Rank Boxing highlights of Walters’ electric battle with Nonito Donaire:
So, who will be leaving with the WBO crown on Saturday night? Will Walters’ size and greater pro experience be too much for Lomachenko? Or is another technically sublime victory merely a formality for the division-crashing Ukrainian?
