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

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

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

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

^Note 1 Murata's professional debut

Broadcasting

Country/Region Broadcaster
Free Cable TV PPV Stream
United States 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

  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.
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