Former unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko will officially return to the ring in October against an unbeaten and up-and-coming lightweight contender.
Top Rank Boxing made the official announcement at noon Monday that one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of the last ten years will face Jamaine Ortiz on October 29 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
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???????? @VasylLomachenko will return in a 12-round main event against undefeated contender @TechnicianOrtiz on Saturday, October 29. pic.twitter.com/QKp0JGtrGS
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) September 12, 2022
From the launch of Top Rank,
“Lomachenko was set to fight then-unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. earlier this year, but when Russia invaded Ukraine, he put his boxing career on hold to join a territorial defense battalion in his homeland. .
“Vasiliy Lomachenko is a credit to his country and the sport of boxing,” Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum said. “When his country needed him, Vasiliy did not hesitate. We are thrilled that he is safe and fighting once again at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, his home away from home. Jamaine Ortiz is a young, hungry, undefeated fighter who understands that a victory over a living legend like Loma would change her life.”
Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) has a resume unmatched in modern boxing. A two-time Olympic gold medalist for Ukraine, he had an amateur record of 396-1, won a world title in his third pro fight and became a three-weight world champion in his twelfth fight. Lomachenko unified three of four lightweight titles before a loss to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020 derailed his quest for undisputed supremacy. Last year, he came back with one-sided wins over Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey.
Lomachenko is 5-0 at the Madison Square Garden Entertainment facility, including the victory over Commey and his one-sided blowout of two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux. He arrived in Southern California last month to resume his career and work toward his goal of capturing the undisputed lightweight title, currently held by Devin “The Dream” Haney.
Lomachenko said: “I love my sport and I am very happy to be back. My goal is to win the undisputed lightweight title, but I will not take Jamaine Ortiz lightly. Madison Square Garden and the Hulu Theater at MSG have been special places in my career, and I look forward to more good memories on October 29. I want to dedicate this fight to all my Ukrainian people. I carry the flag with pride every time I step into the ring.”
Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs), from Worcester, Massachusetts, enters this fight hoping to stun another former world champion on the way back. He last fought May 21 in Las Vegas, wearing down Jamel “Semper Fi” Herring down the stretch to win a 10-round unanimous decision. Ortiz is a six-year pro who plied his trade on the New England club scene.
Three months before Herring’s triumph, Ortiz won the NABF lightweight belt with a clear decision victory over Nahir Albright. Ortiz made his Top Rank on ESPN debut in April 2021 with a draw of eight against Joseph Adorno, surviving a pair of knockdowns in one of the best action battles of the year.
Ortiz said: “I am excited for this fight. Vasiliy Lomachenko is a great fighter, but I am here to win. Once I win this fight, I will be looking for a world title shot. This is a dream come true.”
Cuban rising star and former two-time Olympic gold medalist Robeisy Ramirez will headline the co-main event on October 29 and young American heavyweight Richard Torrez, who won Sivler at the Tokyo Olympics in August last year, is back. on the billboard, as well.
Top Rank announced that ESPN+ will broadcast the fights Saturday night from New York.
