Arum: Kambosos not top-caliber fighter but makes sense for Lomachenko
Top Rank’s promoter breaks down Vasiliy Lomachenko’s return and what plans he has for him in the coming year.
During an interview with Fight Hype, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum chats about Vasiliy Lomachenko’s fight this weekend against Richard Commey as well as what could lie ahead for the Ukrainian should get win on Saturday. Arum assesses the lightweight field and says despite the fact he doesn’t really rate George Kambosos as a talent, it still makes sense as a future fight for Lomachenko.
On what Lomachenko needs to do to set himself apart from the rest of the top lightweights
“Well, he’s gonna have to fight them and they’re good fighters but Loma, in good health, can beat all of them. That really is true. Lomachenko is something special. His loss to Teofimo can be explained by the fact that he had a bad shoulder, which was operated on a couple days after the fight. I mean, listen, he chose to go ahead with the fight, we weren’t aware that the shoulder was bad, but right away from the get-go I saw there was something wrong.
“But it is what it is and now he’ll have the opportunity to fight Kambosos who I don’t think is a top-caliber guy. No, I don’t think he’s top-caliber. He fought a Teofimo that should’ve been in the hospital, not in a boxing ring. Then Haney, who may be very good, and then Gervonta Davis, who is very good. So I think there’s some good fights out there.”
On what kind of test Commey will pose to Lomachenko
“He’s going to test Lomachenko because he’s a very dangerous fighter because he’s very powerful and he has a lot of confidence, the Lopez fight notwithstanding. And he’s going to give Lomachenko a run for his money, but at the end of the day can handle him.”
On his interest in matching Lomachenko against Shakur Stevenson
“Well if we can’t get any other fight, yes, but I would just as soon have Shakur fight at 130 and have Lomachenko fight the 135lb guys.”
On who makes the most sense for Lomachenko to fight if he beats Commey
“Well, I think Kambosos because he beat Teofimo, who beat him. And I think Devin Haney because he has the WBC strap.”
On Haney expressing his willingness to fight Kambosos in Australia and if Lomachenko would be willing to do the same for a chance to get the fight before Haney
“It depends on what Kambosos wants to do, or what the organizations — I mean, we’ve been led to believe the WBO is going to order a mandatory for Lomachenko and we’re certainly happy, sans pandemic, to go to Australia because I have a lot of experience doing fights in Australia and it’s a great place to do fights. Whether its Brisbane, or Sydney, or Melbourne — I mean great fans, great venues. And if we do the fight which I would think in the afternoon on a Sunday would be prime time for the United States, prime time on Saturday.”