It's almost time for arguably the best fight of the calendar year. Pound-for-pound great and unified lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is set to put his three titles on the line when he takes on IBF champion Teofimo Lopez Jr. in a rare matchup where all four titles will be at stake. The action all goes down from the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas on Saturday. It's a matchup fans having been waiting a long time to see and will be able to without the pay-per-view price tag attached.
The unified champ Lomachenko is as good as it gets in the sport. He's 14-1 and considered the pound-for-pound best in the world by many. He's fighting two divisions above his natural weight class and still thriving. Lopez, on the other hand, has been a shooting star across the sky in his 15 pro fights. Only one of them has made it to the judges as he knocks out everyone he faces with astonishing power. Just ask Richard Commey, whom Lopez stopped in just two rounds last December to claim the IBF crown.
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including an exclusive interview with Teofimo Lopez Jr. below.
There's plenty to be excited about on this card with two more fights in addition to the main event. Arnold Barboza Jr. is set to take on Alex Saucedo in what could be a title eliminator at 140 pounds. Saucedo failed in his only attempt to claim a title when he was stopped by Maurice Hooker in 2018. Barboza is undefeated in 24 pro fights. Also, Edgar Berlanga is back with his devastating knockout power when he faces Lanell Bellows at super middleweight. Berlanga is a one-man wrecking crew with 14 knockouts in 14 fights, all in the very first round.
It's going to be a busy week leading into one of the most lucrative fights of the year. CBS Sports will keep you up to date on everything going down at the MGM Grand with the latest news, top features and best bets to make for this loaded fight card on Saturday night. This page will be updated often, so be sure to bookmark it throughout the week.
Odds below provided via William Hill Sportsbook.
Lomachenko vs. Lopez fight card, odds
- Vasiliy Lomachenko (c) -420 vs. Teofimo Lopez (c) +330, IBF, WBA, WBO lightweight championship
- Arnold Barboza Jr. -280 vs. Alex Saucedo +230, junior welterweights
- Edgar Berlanga vs. Lanell Bellows, super middleweights
Lomachenko vs. Lopez info
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Location: MGM Grand -- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Start time: 10 p.m. ET
- TV channel: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
Lomachenko vs. Lopez news, features
- Complete fight preview and expert predictions
- Campbell: Lopez staring down pressure as young challenger
- WATCH: Teofimo Lopez promises KO over Vasiliy Lomachenko
- Clay Collard out: Ex-UFC fighter positive for COVID-19, undercard fight scrapped
- Brookhouse: Don't believe the Lomachenko narratives
- Campbell: Five reasons to love the Lomachenko-Lopez unification fight
Lomachenko vs. Lopez tale of the tape
| Fighter | Vasiliy Lomachenko | Teofimo Lopez Jr. |
|---|---|---|
Nickname | Hi-Tech | Él Brooklyn |
Record | 14-1, 10 KO | 15-0, 12 KO |
Titles | Current WBA, WBO and WBC lightweight champion, former WBO featherweight champion, former WBO junior lightweight champion | Current IBF lightweight champion |
Age | 32 | 23 |
Height | 5-foot-7 | 5-foot-8 |
| Weight | 135 pounds | 135 pounds |
Reach | 65.5 inches | 68.5 inches |
Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
Hometown | Oxnard, California, USA | Brooklyn, New York, USA |
Best wins | Gary Russell Jr. MD12 (2014), Roman Martinez KO5 (2016), Jorge Linares TKO10 (2018), Luke Campbell UD12 (2019) | Diego Magdaleno KO7 (2019), Masayoshi Nakatani UD12 (2019), Richard Commey TKO2 (2019) |
Notable losses | Orlando Salido SD12 (2014) | None |
