Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani was a lightweight professional boxing match contested between three-division former unified lightweight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko, and lightweight contender Masayoshi Nakatani. The bout took place on June 26, 2021, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada.[1] Lomachenko won the fight by ninth-round technical knockout.[2]

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani
DateJune 26, 2021
VenueVirgin Hotels Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
Tale of the tape
Boxer Ukraine Vasiliy Lomachenko Japan Masayoshi Nakatani
Hometown Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine Osaka, Japan
Pre-fight record 14–2 (10 KO) 19–1 (13 KO)
Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 134+35 lb (61 kg) 134+25 lb (61 kg)
Style Southpaw Orthodox
Recognition The Ring No. 9 ranked pound-for-pound fighter
3-division world champion
Result
Lomachenko wins via 9th-round TKO

Background edit

The pair share a common loss to Teófimo López. Lomachenko lost his unified titles to the American in October 2020, while Nakatani had also lost a unanimous decision to López in July 2019.[3] Lomachenko cited that he "still wanted to be undisputed lightweight champion". However, López declined to give Lomachenko a rematch, explaining that “everybody [in Lomachenko’s camp] was being a dick to me, my father. He [Lomachenko] didn’t want to put a rematch clause in our contract."[4] Speaking on why he chose Nakatani as his next opponent, Lomachenko said "I want to compare myself with this guy, he was close with [López] in their fight."[5]

Nakatani fought back from his loss to López, beating Félix Verdejo via technical knockout, after being dropped for the first time in his professional career.[6]

Lomachenko agreed to a comeback fight against Nakatani in Las Vegas.[7] The bout was aired on ESPN+ in the US[8] and Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.[9] It went head to head with Gervonta Davis' light welterweight clash with Mario Barrios on Showtime PPV in Atlanta, Georgia taking place on the same night.[10] The fight was only the second time in Lomachenko's professional career that a world title was not on the line.[11]

Fight details edit

Lomachenko reasserted himself as one of the best at lightweight, as the former pound-for-pound star dropped Nakatani in the fifth, before stopping him in round nine. CompuBox stats show that Lomachenko landed 104 out of 214 punches (49%), while Nakatani landed 29 out of 250 (12%).

With the victory, Lomachenko earned the right to a potential rematch with López, a reward he has made no secret that he desperately seeks. "He has a fight in the future with [George] Kambosos, but after [we will fight]," Lomachenko said. "Maybe next year, beginning of the year. December, January, February. I am waiting." Lomachenko added: "Everybody saw how I won this fight, and everybody is waiting for the rematch, so let's make a rematch."[12]

Fight card edit

Weight Class vs. Method Round Time Notes
Lightweight   Vasiliy Lomachenko def.   Masayoshi Nakatani TKO 9/12 1:48
Middleweight   Janibek Alimkhanuly def.   Rob Brant RTD 8/10 3:00
Heavyweight   Guido Vianello def.   Marlon Williams TKO 2/4 0:01
Welterweight   Giovani Santillan def.   Cecil McCalla UD 8/8
Bantamweight   Luis Fernando Saavedra def.   Robert Rodriguez UD 6/6
Bantamweight   Floyd Diaz def.   Jaime Jasso UD 4/4
Super bantamweight   Subaru Murata def.   Keven Monroy TKO 2/4 1:42 Note 1
Lightweight   DeMichael Harris def.   Jonatan Hernan Godoy RTD 3/4 3:00

^Note 1 Murata's professional debut

Broadcasting edit

Country/Region Broadcaster
Free Cable TV PPV Stream
  United States (host) ESPN+
  Ukraine[13] MEGOGO MEGOGO
  Japan[14] Wowow Wowow
Unsold markets[15] FITE TV
  France[16] BeIN Sports BeIN Sports
  Russia[17] Match TV Match TV
  United Kingdom Sky Sports Sky Sports
  Ireland


References edit

  1. ^ "Vasiliy Lomachenko to return to the ring against Masayoshi Nakatani on June 26 | DAZN News Laos". DAZN. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  2. ^ "Vasiliy Lomachenko dazzles in return, stops Masayoshi Nakatani in the ninth round | DAZN News US". DAZN. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  3. ^ "Lopez beats Nakatani in first bout to go distance". ESPN.com. 2019-07-20. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  4. ^ "Teofimo Lopez again refuses to give Vasyl Lomachenko a rematch | DAZN News UK". DAZN. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  5. ^ "Lomachenko Wants To Beat Nakatani More Decisively Than Teofimo — Boxing News". www.boxing247.com. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  6. ^ "Masayoshi Nakatani gets off canvas to stop Felix Verdejo in lightweight thriller". The Ring. 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  7. ^ "Vasiliy Lomachenko to return to the ring against Masayoshi Nakatani on June 26 | DAZN News Laos". DAZN. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  8. ^ "Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani: Date, fight time, TV channel and live stream | DAZN News US". DAZN. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  9. ^ "Sky Sports announces new partnerships with Top Rank and BOXXER until 2025". Sky Sports. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  10. ^ Random Hits. "Gervonta Davis vs. Mario Barrios - PPV Card Officially Announced". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  11. ^ "BoxRec: Vasyl Lomachenko". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2021-06-22.
  12. ^ "Loma TKOs Nakatani, tells Lopez 'I am waiting'". ESPN.com. 2021-06-27. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
  13. ^ Mediasat, Редакция (2021-06-09). "Ломаченко – Накатани: MEGOGO эксклюзивно покажет боксёрский бой легковесов | Mediasat" (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  14. ^ "WOWOW to broadcast Inoue Vs Dasmarinas and Nakatani Vs Lomachenko live!". ASIAN BOXING. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  15. ^ "▷ Top Rank: Vasyl Lomachenko vs Masayoshi Nakatani - Official PPV Live Stream". FITE. Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  16. ^ "🥊 Vasyl Lomachenko / Masayoshi Nakatani ▷ combat Boxe Championnat du monde en direct live". tv-sports.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-06-23.
  17. ^ "Василий Ломаченко против Масаёси Накатани. Жанибек Алимханулы против Роба Бранта. Бой за титул чемпиона WBO Global". matchtv.ru (in Russian). 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-06-23.