Including Gervonta Davis, 3 Potential Opponents for Vasiliy Lomachenko After Sending George Kambosos Jr. Into ‘The Matrix’

Vasiliy Lomachenko is back at the top of the lightweight division’s food chain as he dropped George Kambosos Jr. to his knees in the 11th round of their encounter at RAC Arena in Perth. He is back in the winner column in style and now holds the IBF gold strap, too. But where does he go from here? Will the Ukrainian boxer push for a revenge match, or would he eye the undisputed glory at the 135-pound division?

Lomachenko has his options open but one opportunity presented itself while he was fighting it out against Kambosos Jr. Gervonta Davis threw the gauntlet on him as he clarified his intentions that the newly crowned champion may just be his next.

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Gervonta Davis: the fight we didn’t know we needed

Lomachenko vs. Davis might turn out to be one of the best fights of the year if ‘Tank’ stays true to his words and hotly pursues the fight with ‘The Matrix’. Lomachenko has never shied away from challenges, as evidenced by his resume. He will gladly pick a fight with Davis. The timing also works out just fine. Davis, 29, will defend his WBA title against Frank Martin in June. So, a probable fight between Tank and Loma can be booked later in the year.

Lomachenko vs. Davis has every ingredient to make it a spectacle. While Davis has terrifying knockout power, Lomachenko has every weapon in his arsenal to negate it. The 36-year-old has speed, swift hand movements, and awkward angles to work up Davis. Power vs. technicality and madness vs. method can sum up the super fight.

In addition, as both hold the gold at 135, their fight will set up a unification bout with both the IBF and WBA titles on the line. Their fight makes sense right now. But as happened in the past, Davis will have a say in picking his opponent, and it might not be Lomachenko—maybe in the future but not immediately. However, the latter can chase another unification fight with Shakur Stevenson.

Shakur Stevenson: A more practical matchup

Bob Arum has a clear vision: to pit Lomachenko against Stevenson. The Top Rank lynchpin had already admitted that he was focused on making this fight happen even before the two-time Olympic gold holder went against Kambosos Jr. He stressed the same when he told Fight Hype that they were targeting a December timeline for Lomachenko’s return against the WBC champion.

Notably, Stevenson, 26, is slated to face Artem Harutyunyan on July 6, and a win will probably ensure a big match in Lomachenko. Both Lomachenko and Stevenson fight under the Top Rank banner, and a fight can easily materialize without any fuss. The megafight will be a clash of two technically gifted fighters, and it will be a treat for serious boxing fans.

But Stevenson, at 21-0, is at loggerheads with Top Rank and might free himself of the promotion’s shackles after completing his contract this July. Can Arum tie him down with another lucrative contract and the Lomachenko fight on the offer? It depends on how the American promoter pulls the strings. In the unlikely case of Lomachenko, at 18-3, not being able to bag either of the lightweight champions, he might look to ignite the rematch talks against Devin Haney.

Will ‘The Matrix’ get his redemption against Devin Haney?

When ‘The Dream’ went toe-to-toe against Lomachenko, he got his hand raised. Every viewer would have differed. Many continue to dispute the fight’s result to this day and there is a feeling of stinginess among Lomachenko fans that he was robbed. While the three-time world champion’s camp tried to reach a deal with Bill Haney, they only met with resistance.

A rematch with the former undisputed champion at 135 would make sense, given there are many who still don’t believe the fight has yet to be settled between the two. Moreover, Haney’s recent defeat against Ryan Garcia has left him confused and with dented confidence, as he endeavors to restore his credibility as a champion.

Can Lomachenko move up? Or can Haney move down? Both scenarios seem unlikely. Lomachenko didn’t carry the size and height advantage against Kambosos Jr. and would find it hard to match Haney’s beefed-up frame. Despite the idea that a rematch against Haney seems lucrative, it might not be possible right now.

Alternatively, Lomachenko can set his eyes on the vacant WBO lightweight title. He can fight the winner of Emanuel Navarrete and Denys Berinchyk next, as the victor of their clash will emerge as the WBO champion. We might have to wait and see if the hard-hitting and volume-puncher Navarrete will set up a fight against Lomachenko.

What do you make of Vasiliy Lomachenko’s recent win against George Kambosos Jr.? Who would you like to see him fight next? Let us know in the comments below.