- Unified lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko and IBF lightweight king Teofimo Lopez have been negotiating a title unification bout.
- The negotiations have stalled because Lopez is balking at Top Rank’s reported $1.2M purse offer.
- Lomachenko has agreed to take a pay cut to make the fight happen.
The highly-anticipated showdown between Top Rank stablemates Vasyl Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez will happen, afterall.
This development emerged after Top Rank boss Bob Arum said that unified lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko will take a pay cut to facilitate a title unification bout with fellow Top Rank fighter Teofimo Lopez. Arum made the statement during a recent appearance at the Ak and Barak Show on Sirius XM:
?️ How close are we to finalizing #LomachenkoLopez? @BobArum updates The Ak and Barak Show. ?@DAZN_USA @trboxing @KornerMan44 @BoxingwithAk @TheBoxingBully
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/POfrly5Dnv
— SiriusXM Boxing (@SiriusXMBoxing) August 10, 2020
Easy Fight To Make
The lightweight title unification between Lomachenko and Lopez was thought to be an easy fight to make. WBA, WBO, and WBC franchise champion Lomachenko and IBF kingpin Lopez both fight under Top Rank so the usual promotional barriers do not exist. However, the two have been unable to finalize a deal because of purse issues.
Lomachenko is getting the lion’s share of the purse at a reported $3.5M. Lopez was said to have been offered a $1.2M pay but he asked for more. However, due to the current business situation brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, Top Rank didn’t want to budge. And so last week, it was reported that the fight was in jeopardy as the camps have reached a stalemate.
Aside from Loma taking a discount, Arum also said during the Sirius XM interview that Lopez is beginning to realize that his demands are off the target considering the financial struggles that everyone is experiencing due to the pandemic. According to previous reports, Lopez was asking for a $2M purse to face Lomachenko.
Loma Wants The Fight
Just how much Lomachenko is willing to give away in order to please Lopez is unknown at this time. However, the gesture is an indication that he wants to get the fight done. This is probably his biggest fight ever and he cannot afford to let it slip away from his grip. Not at the age of 32.
Loma has been fighting as a professional since 2013. And while he has established boxing records and beaten some of the best fighters in the weight classes, that he has competed in we have yet to see the career-defining fight that will make him an all-time great. Lopez isn’t just a superstar opponent, he is a quality fighter that will definitely enhance Loma’s legacy.
The 23-year old Lopez represented the United States in the 2016 Olympics where he lost to eventual silver medalist Sofiane Oumiha. The Honduran-American lightweight is undefeated as a pro with a record of 15-0 with 12 knockouts. Lopez knocked out Richard Commey inside two rounds to win the IBF lightweight title in his last fight on December 14, 2019.
Greatest Amateur Fighter of All-Time
Lomachenko is recognized as the greatest amateur fighter of all-time. The 32-year old Ukrainian posted an incredible amateur record of 396-1 with his only loss avenged twice. He won consecutive gold medals at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships and the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
He turned professional in 2013 and fought for a world title in his second bout. Loma won his first world title in his third pro bout, establishing a record which he shares with Thailand’s Saensak Muangurin. He also holds the record for the fewest fights to become a two-division world champion, doing so in just seven bouts.
Loma is 14-1 with 10 knockouts and he has won his last 13 bouts. Eight out of his last 11 wins have been stoppage including four straight fights where his opponents quit on their stools. He is ranked 2nd in the Ring and the BWAA’s pound for pound list and is ESPN’s top ranked pound for pound fighter.
