On Saturday, Vasiliy Lomachenko will be fighting George Kambosos Jr. and duking it out with Father Time.
He is a heavy favorite entering the lightweight bout in Perth, Australia, with the IBF lightweight world championship at stake. But at 36, the Ukrainian star may be in decline.
It’s no ordinary 36. Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, logged 397 amateur fights and has a pro record of 17-3 with 11 knockouts.
“When I beat Lomachenko, there’ll be no more road for him to go,” Kambosos said this week. “This is retirement for him, I truly believe it.’’
But the 30-year-old Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) will be fighting not only Lomachenko but for championship-caliber credibility.
After handing Teofimo Lopez his first loss in 2021, Kambosos suffered back-to-back, one-sided losses to Devin Haney followed by an unimpressive majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes.
Lomachenko, by contrast, lost a controversial unanimous decision to Haney a year ago. The fight against Kambosos is his first since.
“It will be very, very interesting for both (of us),’’ Lomachenko said. “It’ll be interesting for all fans of boxing.”
What time does Lomachenko fight today?
The Lomachenko-Kambosos broadcast is set to begin Saturday at 10 p.m. ET.
How can I watch the Lomachenko fight?
The Lomachenko-Kambosos fight will air on ESPN.
Lomachenko fight stream
The Lomachenko-Kambosos fight will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Lomachenko vs. Kambosos fight predictions
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Matt Verri, The Evening Standard: “Kambosos will be roared on by thousands of Australian fans, but he cannot match Lomachenko if this turns into a tactical bout at distance.” Prediction: Lomachenko by unanimous decision.
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Norm Frauenheim, The Ring: “Lomachenko has a chance to remind the world and perhaps himself that he still possesses much of the skill so aptly defined by his original nickname: Hi-Tech.” Prediction: TKO, 10th round.
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Alex Ballentine, Bleacher Report: “Ultimately, it’s hard to see Lomachenko not winning this one unless he’s fallen off the age cliff.” Prediction: Lomachenko by unanimous decision.
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Shawn Porter, former world champion: “(Lomachenko) is very precise. He’s a sharpshooter in there. One of the very few precise punchers that has a heckuva power in both hands.’’ Prediction: Lomachenko by decision.
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Teddy Atlas, boxing analyst: “I think it’s going to be a competitive fight. …The question mark for me is, how much does Loma have left?’’ Prediction: Lomachenko wins
Lomachenko vs Kambosos fight odds
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Action: Lomachenko -750 favorite, Kambosos +460 underdog
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Bet MGM: Lomachenko -650 favorite, Kambosos +450 underdog
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DraftKings: Lomachenko -700 favorite, Kambosos +475 underdog
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FanDuel: Lomachenko -750 favorite, Kambosos +460 underdog
Lomachenko fight card
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Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos, 12 rounds, for the vacant IBF lightweight title
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Andrew Moloney vs. Pedro Guevara, 12 rounds, for the WBC interim super flyweight title
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Nina Hughes vs. Cherneka Johnson, 10 rounds, for the WBA bantamweight championship
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lomachenko vs Kambosos live updates: Predictions, how to watch fight
