Bob Arum claims verbal agreement to make Lomachenko-Walters
Top Rank CEO Bob Arum has a verbal agreement in place between WBO featherweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko and former titleholder Nicholas Walters to meet possibly on April 30 in either Chicago or New York’s Madison Square Garden, he told RingTV.com on Friday morning. The bout would headline a doubleheader that also includes welterweight titleholder Viktor Postol conceivably against Adrian Granados, Arum said.
The question now is whether HBO or Showtime will host the card. Arum told RingTV.com on Thursday he’s had conversations with both networks. “Now it’s up to them to decide if they want to pull the trigger,” Arum said. “Maybe Showtime will want to do it. Maybe they’ll both want to do it.”
The 84-year-old promoter said he chose Chicago and New York because of the large Ukrainian populations there. “I will check with the Garden today to see,” Arum said. Postol, who stopped Lucas Matthysse in the 10th round last October, could possibly face Granados, who stopped previously undefeated Amir Iman in November. Lomachenko vs. Walters would take place either at 126 pounds or if Walters (26-0-1, 21 knockouts) can’t make the weight, it will be a non-title fight at 130, Arum said. An announcement on the details could come as early as next week, he said. Lomachenko (5-1, 3 KOs) won a title in just his third fight while Walters remains one of the hardest-hitters in the sport despite drawing with Jason Sosa in December in a decision that sparked controversy.