Former three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) and undefeated Jamaine Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) renewed acquaintances Thursday in New York City. The one-time sparring partners will clash in the 12-round lightweight main event Saturday evening at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. This fight could propel the winner to a shot at undisputed champion Devin “The Dream” Haney.
Lomachenko returns after serving a stint in a territorial defense battalion in his native Ukraine, a decision that delayed his boxing career for 10 months. Ortiz authored a career-best victory over former world champion Jamel Herring in May.
Vasiliy Lomachenko: “I feel great. I feel good. I can’t wait to come back Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. I think it’s a special place for me. I’ve had a lot of fights there. So, it’s a lucky place for me…sparring [against Ortiz] is different from competition because our conditioning is not at 100 percent, so Saturday night will be a very interesting fight. I’m focused on my job. I’m focused on my boxing. You can’t stop thinking about your country. It’s always on your mind. But now I’m focused, and I need to be focused because I’m an athlete. After the fight, I’ll go back to Ukraine and support my country.”
Jamaine Ortiz: “I think the opponent in front of you brings out the type of fighter you are. I think Lomachenko is going to bring out the best Jamaine Ortiz. The fighter that everybody around me knows. You’re going to see the real ‘Technician’ on Saturday night.”
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