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Boxing’s pound-for-pound king, Vasiliy Lomachenko, faces another Olympic gold medalist, Luke Campbell, later this afternoon for the vacant WBC lightweight title inside the O2 Arena in London, England.
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of the main event below, beginning at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KO) has claimed titles at 126 and 130 pounds, and since settling at 135 pounds, he’s collected both the WBO and the WBA “super” belts with impressive wins over Jose Pedraza and Jorge Linares. His fight with Campbell (20-2, 16 KO) — an elite southpaw with a 5.5-inch reach advantage — will determine the next WBC champion and put the winner in line for a full unification bout with either IBF titlist Richard Commey or his top contender, Teofimo Lopez.
The ESPN+ broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET (watch it here) and is highlighted by a Heavyweight clash between Alexander Povetkin and Hughie Fury, as well as an excellent Flyweight title fight between WBC champ Charlie Edwards and No.-ranked contender Julio Cesar Martinez.
“Lomachenko vs. Campbell” Quick Results:
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell — Lomachenko def. Campbell by unanimous decision (119-108 x2, 118-109)
“Lomachenko vs. Campbell” Round-By-Round Coverage:
Unified Lightweight Championship: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell
Round one: Campbell pawing with his jab and left. Neither man committing yet. Left hand to the body. Halfway through. Campbell pops in another body shot. 1-2 upstairs. Lomachenko yet to throw. Campbell with a right hook downstairs. High-low double left. 10-9 Campbell.
Round two: Campbell busy with feints, fires an uppercut. Tight right hands. Lomachenko 1-2 downstairs. Left body shot. Double jab by Lomachenko halfway through. Campbell body shot met by a two-piece. Right hook up top. Clinch. Lomachenko jab, Campbell body shot. Right hook upstairs from Campbell. They trade body blows. 2-1 by Lomachenko. 10-9, 20-18 Campbell.
Round three: Campbell continues to feint heavily, steadily advancing. Left hand downstairs. Jab to the body. Lomachenko jab, Campbell long left. Double jab from Lomachenko. Campbell looks for a combo inside. Right body shot. Lomachenko snaps his head back with a straight left and goes low-high with the same punch. Clinch. Campbell starting to miss more. Uppercut lands for him though. Double jab from Lomachenko in return. They trade near the ropes. 10-9 Lomachenko, 29-28 Campbell.
Round four: Campbell back to the feints, looking to jab. Lomachenko lands one in return, eats one of a three-piece. Tight left by Campbell, body shot. Lomachenko 2-1, hard body shot and jab. Campbell combo blocked, body shot lands. Halfway through. More body work by Campbell. They trade shots to the midsection. Campbell body shots in the clinch. Another left downstairs. Lomachenko pumps some jabs. Lomachenko lands a left body shot, clinch. 10-9, 39-37 Campbell.
Round five: Campbell constantly flashing the jab. Lomachenko 1-2-1. Tight left from Campbell inside. 2-3 met by a Lomachenko jab. Halfway through. Lomachenko fires some jabs, lands a slick left hand and follows up to the body and head. Campbell comes back with a body shot, clinch. They trade lefts, Campbell’s inside. Campbell 1-2. Lomachenko lands a body shot and jab. Left hand stings Campbell and Lomachenko starts punishing the body. Campbell survives until the bell. 10-9 Lomachenko, 48-47 Campbell.
Round six: Campbell back on the advance. Jab from Lomachenko, avoids an uppercut. Lomachenko combination high-low. Campbell goes high-low with hooks. Halfway through. Body shot from Campbell. Lomachenko backs him to the corner, connects with a combo. Campbell backs him up with a combo, takes a jab. Lomachenko backs him to the ropes and they trade. Campbell to the body, left hand upstairs. 10-9 Lomachenko, 57-57.
Round seven: Counter left lands for Lomachenko. Campbell digs a left to the body. Still showing good volume. Jabs from Lomachenko upstairs. 2-1 connects halfway through. Jab up top. Counter left stings Lomachenko and Campbell tries to open up inside. Counter right from Lomachenko after taking another left downstairs. Right hook knocks Campbell back and Lomachenko opens up on the ropes. Clinch. Lomachenko continues to press forward. He answers a body shot with a length combination, lands a tight cross at the bell. 10-9, 67-66 Lomachenko.
Round eight: Trading jabs to start. Hard body shot by Campbell. Good lefts inside. Lomachenko double jab. Another jab. High-low 2-1, right hook upstairs. They trade body shots in the center. Halfway through. Nasty left hand by Lomachenko, looking busy. Trading heat, Lomachenko getting the better of it. Close-quarters exchanges. Campbell body shot, Lomachenko left cross. Both connect at point-blank. Three-piece form Lomachenko, body shots from Campbell. Campbell duking it out with him. 10-9, 77-75 Lomachenko.
Round nine: Lomachenko lands a double jab. Stiff shot through the guard. Trading jabs. Left hand to the body from Lomachenko. Halfway through. Campbell 1-2, lands a body shot after taking a combination in the center. 2-1 from Lomachenko. Campbell rips a right hook downstairs. Straight left up top. Lomachenko jab at the bell. 10-9, 87-84 Lomachenko.
Round ten: Jab lands for Lomachenko. Campbell 1-2 in the center. Lomachenko pops him with a straight left and pivots off. Campbell lands with his back on the ropes. Jab lands halfway through. Short left uppercut by Lomachenko. Right hook lands on the ropes. Campbell digs a left downstairs, clinch. They trade body blows. 10-9, 97-93 Lomachenko.
Round eleven: Campbell lands an early body shot, ratcheting up his volume. They trade left upstairs, Campbell body shot. Campbell body shot, Lomachenko jab. Combinations landing for Lomachenko as Campbell circles on the ropes. Compact left cross by Lomachenko, clinch halfway through. Lomachenko marching forward, stings him with a body shot and looks to open up. Brutal body shots and a right jab upstairs send Campbell to a knee. He beats the count but Lomachenko is all over him. Campbell throwing back. Clinch. They trade body shots in the center. Lomachenko pressing forward, waves Campbell on. 10-8, 107-101 Lomachenko.
Round twelve: Lomachenko pressing forward. Campbell still exchanging with him. Straight left by Lomachenko. Campbell body shots, Lomachenko combo. Another right downstairs by Campbell. Low-high Lomachenko combo. He takes a low blow, doesn’t take long to recover halfway through. Campbell now on the advance, lands a combination and they trade. 3-2 from Lomachenko, body shot from Campbell and Lomachenko cracks him with a combo that forces Campbell to take him down for a reprieve. Campbell still going for it and they trade body shots. 10-9, 117-110 Lomachenko.
Final result: Lomachenko def. Campbell by unanimous decision
For complete “Lomachenko vs. Campbell” results and coverage click here.