20 Jun

Gervonta vs. Loma Closer Than Ever: Details from Promoter

Bob Arum, the founder and head of Top Rank, has provided an update on the potential bout between IBF lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) and WBA titleholder Gervonta Davis (30-0, 28 KOs).

Our representatives at Top Rank will meet with their people this week, likely on Friday. Hopefully, we can agree to hold this fight by the end of the year. I know Tank wants this fight, and Loma wants this fight. So now it’s about negotiating the terms. I haven’t spoken to Lomachenko directly, but I’ve talked with his manager, Egis Klimas, who lives in California. Egis said he spoke with Loma and got his consent.

I don’t think age matters. The question is, can Tank's power match Lomachenko’s skill set? That’s what makes this fight exciting. Tank doesn’t have Lomachenko’s skills, but Lomachenko doesn’t have Tank's power. That’s why you make these fights.

When both participants want it, the chances of it happening are much higher than when one fighter wants it, and the other doesn’t. Here, both boxers want this fight, and if that’s the case, the officials will meet and commit to organizing the event,” Arum told Sean Zittel on YouTube.

The promoter, representing Lomachenko's interests, positively assesses the chances of organizing the fight but notes that many factors influence it. Arum is also convinced that the winner of Davis vs. Lomachenko could face WBC champion Shakur Stevenson (21-0, 10 KOs).

I’m optimistic, but until the contract is signed, we won’t know for sure. The TV companies will cooperate with each other. You can’t blame the TV companies if the fight doesn’t happen. I think negotiations between the parties will go very well.

Now is the time to make this happen; they’re both coming off big wins. So everything is good. Would this fight have been more significant at another time? Maybe, but you can’t look back. It’s the right period in both guys’ careers, and it’s a very interesting, intriguing fight. Both fighters want this bout.

A fight with Shakur for the winner? He’s an excellent fighter. He has a tough fight on July 6, but if the Davis vs. Lomachenko fight happens, Shakur will have another fight around that time and be ready to fight the winner. Shakur is an extraordinary talent, and whoever wins the Lomachenko vs. Davis fight, I’m sure the winner would want to fight Shakur next,” Arum told FightHype.com.

Previously, Bob Arum stated that negotiations have been ongoing for several weeks, with an ideal window for the fight being November-December 2024.

On the night of June 16, Gervonta Davis knocked out Frank Martin (18-1, 12 KOs) in the 8th round to retain his title. Vasyl Lomachenko stopped George Kambosos (21-3, 10 KOs) in the 11th round via TKO in May, winning the vacant IBF title.

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