Vasiliy Lomachenko, Jamaine Ortiz conform to deal for light-weight struggle this fall, sources say

Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jamaine Ortiz have agreed to a deal for a light-weight struggle that is focused for late October, sources advised ESPN.

No website has been finalized for the High Rank Boxing on ESPN important occasion, sources mentioned.

Lomachenko, previously ESPN’s pound-for-pound No. 1 boxer, final competed in December, recording a unanimous determination victory over Richard Commey. He agreed to a deal for a struggle towards George Kambosos for 4 light-weight belts in June, however as a substitute elected to stay in Ukraine when Russia invaded.

The 34-year-old even joined a territorial protection battalion, as did his good buddy, heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who meets Anthony Joshua in a rematch on Saturday.

On Tuesday, Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) arrived in Los Angeles to start coaching camp in pursuit of the undisputed light-weight championship. Devin Haney stepped in when Lomachenko stayed in Ukraine and went on to soundly outpoint Kambosos in Australia to seize the undisputed 135-pound championship.

Haney and Kambosos are set for an Oct. 15 rematch in Melbourne, Australia, on ESPN, and the winner may very well be lined up for a protection vs. Lomachenko subsequent 12 months.

Within the meantime, Lomachenko will put together for the potential summit assembly with a matchup towards Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs), who broke out with a unanimous determination victory over Jamel Herring in Could that led to the previous champion’s retirement.

The 26-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts, has by no means confronted anybody near Lomachenko’s degree, and even the Herring struggle was a quantum leap in competitors. Ortiz’s lone blemish is an eight-round draw with Joseph Adorno final 12 months.

Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, misplaced his three light-weight titles to Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and subsequently underwent surgical procedure to restore a torn rotator cuff. He is rated No. 2 at light-weight and No. 9 in pound-for-pound rankings.