A week after the most-hyped fight of the year produced one of the most interesting bouts of 2016, the Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters bout could be just as exciting.
Sure, the Lomachenko-Walters matchup doesn?t have the starpower of Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev? and in case you missed it, Ward eked out a controversial unanimous decision win ? but Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KOs) is one of the best boxers in the world and, in Walters (26-0-1, 21 KOs), he?ll be facing the scariest opponent of his career. The drama will be shown on HBO at 10:35 p.m. ET/PT from Las Vegas, and it could produce just as much fun as Ward-Kovalev.
?Nicholas Walters is the hardest puncher in these divisions ? they don?t call him the ?Axe Man? for nothing and he always give 100 percent,? Top Rank?s Bob Arum said on a teleconference this week. ?And Vasyl Lomachenko is an unbelievable technician who has done really the impossible, winning world titles in two divisions in a record-few seven professional fights. So, I look for a Fight of the Year candidate on Saturday night.?
And that?s not just promoter bluster. To prove it, here are three compelling reasons to watch the junior lightweight title fight.
1) Walters? punching power vs. Lomachenko?s boxing skills: Lomachenko is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and even though this is just his eighth professional fight, the current junior lightweight and former featherweight world titlist is already considered one of the 10-best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. But Walters has those heavy hands that could cause Lomachenko problems if he gets hit cleanly. It?s almost like a return of the storyline of Ward?s boxing skill vs. Kovalev?s power. ?I don?t think this is a different Lomachenko from the guy that lost to [Orlando] Salido ? he is the same Lomachenko,? Walters said this week. ?They say a leopard cannot change his spots, right? Since he did lose to Salido, he can be as technical all he wants, but I am in the hurt business. This is a gladiator sport and I fight all of my fights like that. I fight like a gladiator. He can come in with his technical fight on Saturday and I am going to be up for it.? Here?s a taste of Walters showing off his power and speed in training.
