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Mike Coppinger, ESPN
Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos are in the process of finalizing a deal for an IBF lightweight title fight in April or May in Kambosos’ native Australia, sources told ESPN.
Lomachenko, a future Hall of Famer, and Kambosos, the former undisputed lightweight champion, planned to fight last summer in Australia. However, Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) elected to remain in war-torn Ukraine after the country was invaded by Russia.
In Lomachenko’s absence, Kambosos defended his four titles vs. Devin Haney and was routed in June of 2022. Haney returned to Australia for another wide-points victory four months later.
The American vacated his four lightweight titles last month, creating an available title that Lomachenko and Kambosos will vie for after the bout was ordered by the IBF last week.
Contracts aren’t signed, sources said, while the exact date is ironed out.
Lomachenko, 35, is coming off a thrilling, razor-thin decision defeat to Haney in May. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is a three-division champion. He’s ESPN’s No. 1 fighter at 135 pounds.
Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) won the undisputed lightweight championship when he defeated Teofimo Lopez in ESPN’s 2021 Upset of the Year.
The 30-year-old Australian then lost back-to-back fights against Haney. Kambosos, ESPN’s No. 5 lightweight, is coming off a controversial decision win over Maxi Hughes in June.