Representatives of lightweight champions Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Vasiliy Lomachenko plan to meet “shortly” to discuss the possibility of staging a unification bout in the late fall, Lomachenko promoter Bob Arum told BoxingScene on Monday.
“Very good, powerful kid, good puncher, and he wasn’t fighting a tomato can,” Arum said in assessing Davis’ eighth-round knockout of contender Frank Martin in Saturday’s main event of the 100th championship fight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“We’re up for that fight. Lomachenko’s up for that.”
Arum said the meeting could easily take place this week because Davis’ team is in Las Vegas and Top Rank has a Friday fight in Las Vegas, with its WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza set to meet Sergio Chirino Sanchez.
Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) said after his victory that he’s ready for any major opponent, particularly Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs), who won the IBF lightweight belt in May by stopping former titleholder George Kambosos in the 11th round.
“When we sit down, we will see if it’s feasible, but Lomachenko would like to do that fight,” Arum said, marking the November-December window as an ideal time.
While Top Rank has two other lightweight champions in unbeaten, three-division champion Shakur Stevenson and new WBO titleholder Denys Berinchyk, Arum says Davis, 29, is the best fit for Lomachenko, who is now 36.
“Davis has established a position where he’s good at the box office … a fight with Davis would produce more money than a fight with Shakur,” said Arum, as Stevenson’s multi-fight contract with Top Rank expires following his July 6 WBC title defense in New Jersey.
A Stevenson-Berinchyk unification later this year could set up a bout for undisputed supremacy.
“Everything’s up in the air. There’s a lot of possibilities,” Arum said. “And possibilities are good, because they keep everyone busy.”
By Lance Pugmire