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Vasiliy Lomachenko will defend his WBA “super world” lightweight title for the first time on December 8, when he faces Jose Pedarza for the title on December 8 at the Hulu Theater in New York, according to RingTV.com.
Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KO) will be defending the title he won on May 12 from Jorge Linares, after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum. Pedraza (25-1, 12 KO) is perhaps a tougher test than Ray Beltran would have been, but will still be a sizable underdog.
Pedraza beat Beltran on August 25 to set up the date with Lomachenko, resulting in an all-Top Rank card, which works out well for the promoter and for TV network ESPN, which will televise the fight. Either way that August fight went, ESPN was in business with Top Rank.
Lomachenko, 30, is considered perhaps the best pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, and no worse than one of the top few. Pedraza, 29, is a legitimate contender to his 135-pound throne, the WBO champion and a real opponent.