Photo by Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images
Get your fight week coverage here on Bloody Elbow, as Vasiliy Lomachenko takes on fellow Olympic goal medalist Luke Campbell for three of the four major titles at 135 lbs.
By far the biggest event this weekend is a lightweight title fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KOs) and Luke Campbell (20-2, 16 KOs), with an expected sell-out crowd at The O2 Arena in London, England.
Lomachenko is widely considered the best boxer in the world, and his tremendous resume speaks for itself. Admittedly, his April KO of Anthony Crolla was not among his highest quality wins, but it got the mandatory title defense out of the way, and now the reigning WBA and WBO champion is seeking to gain the vacant WBC title. He’s won major world titles in three weight classes, and his mesmerizing offensive and defensive skills have wowed boxing fans for years. When you combine his professional success with his astonishing credentials as an amateur, which includes two Olympic gold medals, he’s well on his way to being remembered as one of the all-time greats.
Campbell is a 2012 Olympic gold medalist who’s a world-class fighter in his own right. His only defeats have come against Yvan Mendy and former champ Jorge Linares, who squeaked by Campbell in a split decision. You may remember Linares dropped Lomachenko in their May 2018 fight, but Loma rallied and won by body shot KO. Campbell is on a three-fight winning streak, with the Mendy loss avenged along the way. His notable wins include Darleys Perez, Argenis Mendez, and on the domestic scene he’s stopped Derry Mathews and Tommy Coyle.
Don’t let the odds fool you — Lomachenko is as high as 20-to-1 — Campbell is a legitimately good boxer and in addition to being a fellow southpaw, he will have a two-inch height advantage, as well as a 5 1?2 inch edge in reach. Styles make fights and this should be a compelling boxing match. Lomachenko should be the rightful significant favorite, but don’t be surprised if Campbell proves to be a tougher opponent than expected. He’ll surely be way more competitive than Crolla.
ESPN+ has the entire card from 1 PM ET/10 AM PT. The main event is expected to start no later than 5 PM ET/2 PM PT, with Hughie Fury vs. Alexander Povetkin serving as the co-main event at approximately 4 PM ET/1 PM PT. MMA fans may also be curious to see veteran Ryan Ford (16-4, 11 KOs) serve as a litmus test for light heavyweight prospect Joshua Buatsi (11-0, 9 KOs). UK fans can watch the event on Sky Box Office PPV.
Bloody Elbow will have full fight week coverage of Lomachenko vs. Campbell, including play-by-play, analysis, highlights, and much more.