By: Hans Themistode
Vasyl Lomachenko is reportedly ready to return to the ring before the year comes to an end.
According to Dan Rafael, formerly with ESPN, Lomachenko is slated to face off against Richard Commey on December 11th. As of now, no venue has been officially disclosed.
For Lomachenko, the Ukrainian sat back and listened as his pound-for-pound credentials were constantly questioned. With Teofimo Lopez dethroning him in October of 2020, there was an overwhelming belief that the former two-time Olympic gold medalist had seen better days. In his showdown against Lopez, Lomachenko fought lethargically in the first half before dominating down the stretch.
Since then, the 33-year-old attempted to secure a rematch with his loquacious rival, something that was originally denied. In an effort to prove that he was worthy of a second shot against Lopez and eager to demonstrate that he was still one of boxing’s best, Lomachenko dominated highly rated contender, Masayoshi Nakatani. The two faced off this past June at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although the Japanese native carried several physical advantages, Lomachenko dominated the action, dropping him multiple times before ultimately stopping him.
He’ll now look to make it two in a row when he takes on Commey. The former IBF lightweight belt holder saw his title reign come to an abrupt end, ironically enough, also at the hands of Teofimo Lopez.
In December of 2019, after a fairly even first round between the pair, Lopez landed a monstrous right hand that immediately sent Commey to the mat. While he would beat the count, referee David Fields would eventually call a halt to their contest just a few seconds later.
With his world title taken away from him, Commey would take more than a year off before making his return. This past February, the Bronx New York, resident walked through fringe contender Jackson Marinez, stopping him in the sixth round.
Both Commey and Lomachenko will look towards title shots in 2022 with a definitive win come December 11th.