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Vasyl Lomachenko will return this weekend against Jamaine Ortiz, where he will look to improve upon his 16-2 professional record.
'Loma' is considered one of the best pound-for-pound boxers on the planet, as evidenced by his victories over names such as Gary Russell Jr., Guillermo Rigondeaux, and more. Lomachenko is also a former three-weight world champion.
The 34-year-old has been out of action since his unanimous decision victory over Richard Commey last December. That victory put Lomachenko in a title opportunity, as he was supposed to face then-champion George Kambosos Jr. In Australia.
Instead, he lost out on that title fight due to his decision to enlist in the Ukrainian military. While Lomacheno was out of his home country when the war began, he decided to return home and join the fight for his country.
After spending most of the year out of action, Vasyl Lomachenko is finally set to return this Saturday night against Jamain Ortiz. The hope is that, if victorious, the former champion will challenge unified titleholder Devin Haney in 2023.
'The Dream' defeated George Kambosos Jr. twice while Lomachenko was out of action to win gold. The two men could be set for a massive fight next year if the Ukrainian wins this weekend in New York City.
Will Vasyl Lomachenko defeat Jemain Ortiz?
Vasyl Lomachenko is expected to defeat Jamain Ortiz, and that is reflected through the mind-boggling betting odds.
'The Technican' is one of the rising stars in the lightweight division, and that is evidenced by his undefeated 15-0-1 professional record. He's also fresh off the biggest win of his career, a decision over Jamel Herring in May.
However, Ortiz is still a bit green for the top levels of the division. Beyond that win over the former champion, he hasn't defeated many names of note, and he's only 26 years old as well.
With that in mind, the fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and Jamaine Ortiz is seen as nothing more than a tune-up for the former champion. While some fans believe the prospect might provide some challenges, they're in the minority.
Nothing explains the fight away better than the fight odds. Bet MGM currently has 'Loma' as a staggering -2000 betting favorite for Saturday. Meanwhile, Ortiz sits at +900 as the underdog.
With odds like that, it appears that fans and oddsmakers seem to believe that there'll be another vintage Lomachenko performance this weekend.
