Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Masayoshi Nakatani was supposed to be an intriguing matchup. However, Lomachenko dominated Nakatani, finishing him in the 9th round via TKO.
After a widely disappointing performance against Teofimo Lopez, Vasiliy Lomachenko’s return to the ring was highly anticipated. After a 7-month absence, “Loma” answered the critics and bounced back in a dominating performance.
Vasiliy Lomachenko def. Masayoshi Nakatani via 9th-Round TKO
Lomachenko appeared to be unfazed by anything Nakatani threw at him. Even with a clash of heads in round 1 that led to a large cut around the hairline of the former champion, he was on a mission at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, clearly a different fighter that stepped into the ring in regards to his mindset. It was a seek-and-destroy mentality.
The fight was closely contested through round 4. But when multiple straight lefts started to connect at-will, along with some incredible footwork, Lomachenko provided a spark in round 5 when a 3-punch combination sent Nakatani to the canvas. This was the turning point in the fight.
Lomachenko was starting to appear close to a finish in round 7. Nakatani’s right eye was starting to be visibly compromised. The same orbital bone that was shattered in his recent performances. “Loma” was deadly accurate and ultimately led to a stoppage victory in round 9.
All of the doubt surrounding the Ukranian former champion was quickly erased with the performance tonight. In a post fight interview, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, stated his desire to schedule a rematch with Teofimo Lopez. Before a rematch can be made however, Lopez is scheduled to face off against his mandatory challenger George Kambosos.
That fight has been delayed, due to Lopez testing positive for Covid-19. It is unclear at this time if Lopez will be able to return as soon as expected. The Lopez/Kambosos fight is still awaiting a new official date, but the preliminary talks are aiming for October.
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