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3. Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters: The Best of the Featherweights
If you were to go ahead and create a list of the top five most desirable fights in the sport of boxing today, Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters (25-0-0, 21 KOs) would probably be on it.
They’re arguably the two best fighters in the 126-pound division, and both could one day find themselves on top 10 pound-for-pound lists.
It’s a beautiful styles fight, Lomachenko whose technical skills and defense could one day rival the best fighters in the world, against Walters, a relentless pressure attacker who they call the “Axe Man” because of the way he can chop an opponent into pieces with his devastating power.
Walters made his name well-known with an extremely impressive 2014 campaign, first by knocking out Vic Darchinyian in May, then by stopping the 2012 Fighter of the Year Nonito Donaire in their October fight.
Walters dominated Donaire to a point that made the “Filipino Flash” look foolish, knocking him down once in Round 3 then again in Round 6, from which Donaire would not continue.
It was an eye-opening performance on a televised undercard from the packed StubHub Center, which was filled with Mexican and Mexican-American fight fans who were there to watch their adopted son, Gennady Golovkin.
Since then, Top Rank looked to match Walters up with Rodriguez, who Lomachenko just beat, but Walters came down with the flu and wasn’t able to fight.
He’s scheduled to make a defense of his WBA Featherweight title on June 13 against an opponent to be announced, the fight will take place at Madison Square Garden.
Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters does however bring back the question, does Bob Arum want to put two of the best fighters in his stable in the ring together at this point?
It’s a big fight, but one that could be monstrous if it has the appropriate time to build over years, while these fighters continue to bolster their resumes.
I think it’s safe to say that boxing fans are eager to see it sooner than later, with Lomachenko’s extensive amateur background you could argue he’s ready.
So let’s see it now, let’s see it later, and let’s see it as many times as possible, because Lomachenko vs. Walters has the make up to become the next great rivalry, one that could mirror Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez.
Who would you like to see Vasyl Lomachenko fight next? Please feel free to discuss in our comments section provided below.
Header photo by Esther Lin
