With the huge lightweight unification bout between WBA/WBO titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF titleholder Teofimo Lopez a done deal for Oct. 17, everything’s good to go for a major event that also happens to be a great matchup between the top two guys at 135 pounds in the sport today.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum also tells ESPN that he’s not fully giving up hope that the fight can be done with limited spectators in attendance at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, but that’s not the actual plan, and it doesn’t depend on there being fans, either. Arum says if Nevada gives them the green light to do it, they will, but if not the fight will simply go ahead at Top Rank’s MGM “Bubble,” where all of the company’s events have been held since June 9.
Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KO) and Lopez (15-0, 12 KO) will have their fight aired on ESPN, not on pay-per-view, which could make it a really, really big showcase for the sport. The fight, again, to be fully clear, is set to go with or without fans. Of course Arum would like to get a gate, even if a limited audience, for which you could charge “exclusive event” VIP-type prices, but nothing hinges on that.