Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr look set to meet for the vacant IBF lightweight title next spring, according to ESPN.com’s Mike Coppinger.
Coppinger reports that the sides are “finalizing” a deal for a bout in April or May, with Kambosos getting home field in Australia.
Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KO) and Kambosos (21-2, 10 KO) would be fighting for one of the belts vacated by a common foe, former undisputed lightweight king Devin Haney.
Lomachenko, 35, fought just once in 2023, losing a hotly-debated unanimous decision to Haney on May 20 in Las Vegas.
Kambosos, 30, also fought just once this year, winning a hotly-debated majority decision over Maxi Hughes on July 22 in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
For what it’s worth — nothing, to be clear — Kambosos does hold the lightly-regarded IBO title thanks to his controversial win over Hughes.
Kambosos is a former WBA, IBF, and WBO titleholder, while Lomachenko formerly held the WBC, WBA, and WBO titles at 135, as well as titles at featherweight and junior lightweight.
The two were meant to square off in 2022, but Lomachenko opted to stay in Ukraine instead of taking any fight at that time. Kambosos said he respected Lomachenko’s decision and would be waiting to face him down the road.
It hasn’t turned out quite the way Kambosos hoped, with two clear losses to Haney in 2022, but the two appear headed for the showdown anyway, with a world title on the line.