When Top Rank founder and CEO of Top Rank Bob Arum mentioned that he would want to make a Nicholas Walters-Vasyl Lomachenko unification fight in October or November this year, it was like a light went off in Walters’s eyes.
Walters holds the WBA Super World featherweight title.
The Jamaican has already given pre-approval, but there’s more to be accomplished.
First, he has to get around Miguel Marriaga, who like Walters, is undefeated, and packs a punch.
Although Marriaga has 18 knockouts in 20 professional bouts, Walters doesn’t seem too worried about the Columbian’s chances in their upcoming fight on HBO’s Boxing After Dark main event Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
If he gets past Marriaga, a championship unification battle will hopefully ensue against Ukraine’s Lomachenko (4-1, 2 KO’s), the all-round southpaw, who snagged the WBO World featherweight title with a dominant ninth-round KO of Gamalier Rodriguez on the undercard of Mayweather-Pacquiao on May 2nd, which turned out to be more exciting than the ‘Fight of the Century.’
Walters, 29, says the world wants them both in the ring.
“It’s a big fight,” Walters said. “The world wants to see that fight. Like I say, Uncle Bob [Arum] is the man who makes the fights. I’m the guy who fights the fights. You talk to Top Rank, HBO, and if they can make the fight, I’ll fight the fight.”
Arum made it immaculately clear that this is a fight that has to happen, speaking with BoxingScene.com.
“That’s the fight I want to make.” Arum said. “No f—ing around – go right into that fight. People would love that fight. That would be a great f—ing fight.”
Walters, who knocked out former five-division world champion Nonito Donaire in the sixth round, praised his potential opponent.
“He’s a good fighter,” Walters said of Lomachenko. “He has skills and everything. I’m happy for him. He’s a great champ, a very good fighter. When we get the chance to fight, it’s going to be a good fight.”
