Bob Arum, the prominent boxing promoter, has swiftly dismissed claims suggesting Vasiliy Lomachenko is evading a potential face-off with Shakur Stevenson. The buzz ignited when Stevenson, a rising 26-year-old lightweight contender from Newark, New Jersey, fired off tweets labeling Lomachenko, a three-division champion, as a “chicken” and alleging that he’s sidestepping a match against him. Adding to the speculation, the WBC recently announced its lightweight title, now in the hands of undisputed champion Devin Haney, would be available for a bout between Stevenson and the next top contender, Lomachenko.
However, Arum, who represents both boxers under Top Rank Inc., elucidated Lomachenko’s reluctance to fight this year stems from the escalating Russian-Ukraine conflict, particularly the bombings near his residence in Odessa, rather than any apprehension about facing Stevenson. “Lomachenko can’t focus on fighting due to the situation in Ukraine. It has nothing to do with Shakur,” Arum remarked in a recent chat.
As plans evolve, Stevenson is on track for a mid-November fight in Las Vegas, coinciding with the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Arum confirmed, “We aim to find the best possible opponent for Stevenson, and he will fight for the WBC title.” On a recap of their recent performances, Stevenson dominated in his lightweight debut in April 2022, securing a win against Shuichiro Yoshino. Meanwhile, Lomachenko faced a tight and slightly controversial unanimous decision loss to Haney in May 2023 in Las Vegas.
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