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Arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world today, Vasyl Lomachenko seeks a world title at his third different weight class on Saturday night when he takes on WBA lightweight champ Jorge Linares inside Madison Square Garden.
The main fight card starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still easily watch ESPN and the Lomachenko vs. Linares fight live on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
Hulu With Live TV: In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live TV channels, including ESPN. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the fight on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
DirecTV Now: ESPN is included in all four of DirecTV Now’s channel packages. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial no matter what package you choose, and you can then watch the fight live on your computer via the DirecTV Now website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the DirecTV Now app.
WatchESPN: You can also watch the fight on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the WatchESPN app. You’ll need to sign in to a cable provider in order to watch these streams, but if you don’t have that, you can sign up for one of the above options and then use your Hulu or DirecTV Now credentials to sign in and watch on ESPN’s platforms.
Preview
Anytime “Hi-Tech” steps inside a boxing ring, it’s a must-watch event.
After a wildly decorated amateur career, he won his first world title, the WBO featherweight belt, in just his third professional fight when he beat Gary Russell Jr. in 2014. After three title defenses there, he moved on to junior lightweight, where he won the belt off Roman Martinez via fifth-round KO and then proceeded to absolutely obliterate the division–he won each of his four title defenses at junior lightweight via corner stoppage, most recently taking down Guillermo Rigondeaux in what was hyped as his toughest fight to date.
Now, looking for a new challenge, and looking for someone who will actually get into the ring with him, Lomachenko will step up in weight again to take on Linares, who hasn’t lost since 2012 and has defended his WBA lightweight title three times since winning it off of Anthony Crolla in 2016. He isn’t nearly as flashy as Hi-Tech, and he certainly doesn’t destroy people at the same level, but he’s a damn good fighter with few weaknesses and an impressive track record.
Put it together, and on one side, you have the top junior lightweight, a contender for pound-for-pound king, and arguably the most exciting individual in the sport right now. On the other, you have the world’s second best lightweight who, at the very least, has a size advantage.
Will Lomachenko take his dominance to a whole new level? Or will Linares spring an upset and shake up the boxing landscape? Either way, this about as it good as it gets right now.