Vasiliy Lomachenko did not earn a title belt for his dazzling Saturday night performance against Masoyashi Nakatani. But many boxing fans walked away from the fight believing “The Matrix” is among the best lightweight boxers in the world.
Lomachenko made his first appearance at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas since losing the WBA, IBF, and WBO titles to Teofimo Lopez last October. The Matrix ended the one-sided fight with a ninth-round TKO.
Vasiliy Lomachenko, now 15-2 with 11 knockouts, had a good reason for choosing Masoyashi Nakatani for his comeback fight. Nakatani once went the distance with Lopez. Lomachenko wants the boxing world to compare his performance against Nakatani to Lopez’s fight with the Japanese boxer.
Lomachenko was able to use angles and superior foot speed to get inside against the taller Nakatani. The Matrix scored the fight’s first knockdown in the fifth round.
Nakatani recovered from the fifth-round knockout and proved himself to be a game opponent. But the onslaught from Vasiliy Lomachenko proved too much over time.
A flurry of punches from Lomachenko signaled the beginning of the end for Nakatani. Referee Celestine Ruiz called an end to the fight once it became clear that Nakatani could no longer protect himself.
“I’m happy because I won,” Lomachenko said after the fight. “Now I’m back on track.
Lomachenko made it known throughout the preparations for Nakatani that he wants a second opportunity against Teofimo Lopez. A second fight with Lomachenko is something for which Lopez says he has no interest. But Saturday’s performance from The Matrix may make it impossible for a rematch not to happen.
Teofimo Lopez Sr. was on hand for the Lomachenko-Nakatani fight. He says his son would be willing to grant Vasiliy Lomachenko a rematch after finishing his business with George Kambosos Jr. “I think the public wants to see the fight,” Lopez Sr. commented.
Vasiliy Lomachenko acknowledged the scheduled fight between Lopez and Kambosos. He says that he is willing to fight Lopez next. The simple message from Lomachenko to Teofimo Lopez is, “I’m waiting.”