Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Teofimo Lopez now being targeted for Oct. 3

Well, the much anticipated lightweight showdown between champions Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez is now being eyed for October 3 instead of an originally suggested September 19 date. Todd duBoef of Top Rank confirms the new target date with ESPN as he emphasizes that he’s still not certain that any fans will be allowed to attend live.

“I’m not sure that fight happens with fans,” duBoef told ESPN.

Top Rank has recently been staging cards inside ‘the bubble’ at the MGM Grand which have aired on ESPN, but this marquee matchup will likely need to be slated for pay-per-view. Bob Arum has been hoping he could at least get 2,500 people to attend the fight, but as the coronavirus continues to run rampant throughout the United States, that could prove to be a stretch.

In the meanwhile Lomachenko has been reported to have already begun a formal training camp for the bout, even without a set date, while Teofimo Lopez (despite keeping in shape throughout the shutdown) is expected to follow suit shortly.