Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
On Saturday, October 18, 2014 undefeated Featherweight Nicholas “The Axe Man” Walters chopped down former pound-for-pound fighter, Nonito Donaire.
The sixth-round knockout victory gave the 28-year-old Walters his first marquee win and officially put him on the map. Moving forward, there are a lot of enticing matchups for Walters to consider.
Walters’ promoter, Bob Arum, said late last week that if WBO Featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko is successful in his next bout against No. 1 contender Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo that a match against Walters could be lined up for 2015.
“If Lomachenko is successful, I would anticipate a fight with Walters sometime next year,” said Arum.
A fight between Walters and Lomachenko would be easy to make because both men are promoted by Arum’s Top Rank. A clash between the two champions would be one of the best matchups that can be made at 126 pounds.
But before Lomachenko and Walters and tangle, Arum points out that Lomachenko has a serious task in front of him on November 22.
“Lomachenko is fighting only his fourth professional fight and he’s fighting Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo of Thiland, with 51 wins and one defeat – he lost eight years ago to Chris John and of his 51 victories, 33 of them have been by knockout – so Lomachenko has his work cut out for him, so believe me, this fight on November 22 is hardly a gimme.” – Bob Arum
Another matchup that is on Walters’ radar is a unification bout with WBC champion, Jhonny Gonzalez.
According to Gonzalez’s promoter Oswaldo Kuchle (via Boxing Scene), talks have already begun for Walters and Gonzalez to face each other next year.
With talks of these two big matchups, 2015 is already shaping up to be a busy year for the newly crowned WBA champion Walters.
