Lomachenko vs Stevenson next? Arum: The world will be in awe

Vasiliy Lomachenko could be on an enthralling collision course with Shakur Stevenson if he overcomes the challenge of George Kambosos Jr on Saturday night, says Top Rank CEO Bob Arum.

Ukrainian great Lomachenko will go down under to fight Kambosos for the IBF lightweight world title, with the pair having previously been set to meet for undisputed honours before Lomachenko elected to return to his home country following the Russian invasion.

Lomachenko enters on the back of his divisive unanimous decision defeat to Devin Haney last May, while Kambosos returned to winning ways when he beat Maxi Hughes in July following back-to-back losses to Haney.

“Kambosos is a real threat. He can get up for a fight, he’s very talented, Lomachenko is super talented,” Arum told Sky Sports.

“But again there is his age, particularly in the lighter weight divisions where age is more of a factor than in the heavyweight divisions.

“But hopefully Lomachenko is able to rise to the occasion and win the title, because there’s no fighter that I enjoy watching more than Lomachenko. He’s a really great technician.”

• Stream the best of British boxing and more with NOW Sports Month Membership
• Boxing schedule in 2024: Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk and more
• Richard Riakporhe: Chris Billam-Smith like cracked glass – I’ll shatter him!

Stevenson currently holds the WBC lightweight belt, Gervonta Davis reigns as the WBA champion while the IBF, WBO and Ring titles remain vacant.

Stevenson has asserted himself as one of boxing’s most gifted superstars, cruising to a 21-0 professional record at the age of 26-0 and looming as one half of a potential mega-fight with Lomachenko.

“I have this other fighter Shakur Stevenson, who is also a great technician,” Arum added.

“So if Lomachenko wins and Shakur, who is scheduled to fight in July wins, then for the fall to do a Lomachenko-Shakur fight, every serious boxing fan will be watching that in awe between two great technicians fighting for a unified title.

“Let’s see what happens. Kambosos is very very good. Even though he doesn’t come from Perth he’s fighting on home territory which means something.

“I’m looking forward to it, it’s going to be sold out in Perth.”

Lomachenko’s clash with Kambosos Jr features as part of a marquee May for boxing, the month beginning with undisputed champion Naoya Inoue’s fight against Luis Nery in Japan before heading to Saudi Arabia to crown an undisputed heavyweight champion from Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

“My travel schedule is Japan, Perth and then getting to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the Fury-Usyk fight and then going to England for the fight in Leeds with Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall, and then back to Saudi for a great fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol (in June) for the undisputed light heavyweight title, and then back to New York for our great Puerto Rican Day Parade show,” said Arum.

Watch Lauren Price challenge Jessica McCaskill in her first ever world title fight from Cardiff on Saturday May 11, live on Sky Sports; Vasiliy Lomachenko then faces George Kambosos Jr in Perth, Australia on Sunday, May 12.