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Vasyl Lomachenko, who is regarded by many as the top pound-for-pound boxer in the business, will defend his WBA and WBO world lightweight titles against Anthony Crolla Friday night in Los Angeles. The main card starts at 11 p.m. ET.
While the fight won’t be on TV anywhere in the US, you can watch a live stream of Lomachenko vs Crolla on ESPN+, the digital streaming service from ESPN that includes a bunch of different live sports (including Top Rank boxing and UFC), all the 30-for-30 documentaries and other original content.
You can start a free trial of ESPN+ right here, and you can then watch all the fights on the card on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
Or, if you don’t already have ESPN+ and you’re planning on ordering Saturday night’s UFC 236 (headlined by Max Holloway vs Dustin Poirier) event, you can purchase a one-year subscription to ESPN+ and UFC 236 for $79.99.
Lomachenko vs Crolla Preview
After winning a pair of Olympic gold medals during what was one of the most decorated amateur careers of all-time, Lomachenko has already accomplished more in 13 professional fights than most boxers will come close to in their entire careers. He’s picked up world titles in three different weight classes, he unified the WBA and WBO lightweight titles for the first time since 2009 and he’s No. 1 in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings.
His opponent on Friday night, Anthony Crolla is a solid fighter but not nearly on Lomachenko’s level. The Mancunian is a former WBA world lightweight title holder and has picked up three wins in a row, but he’s also not far removed from a pair of defeats against Jorge Linares, the same man Lomachenko knocked out last May.
“I want to be in there against the best, carry out the plan and shock the world,” Crolla said. “I don’t see it as if I’m somehow lucky to be sharing the ring with him. Yes, I admire him greatly but my plan is to shock the world. I have earned this shot.”
Despite Crolla’s confidence, though, this is a big-time mismatch. The odds may differ slightly depending on where you look, but one thing remains the same: Crolla is a massive underdog.
That said, no matter how predictable the outcome might be, Lomachenko’s fights are must-see TV. Dominance can sometimes be boring (Floyd Mayweather’s dominant defensive style, for example, wasn’t always fun to watch for more casual fans), but the way Lomachenko breaks down his opponents is always entertaining.
He made each of his last four opponents at super featherweight (Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga, Guillermo Rigondeaux) quit, and since moving to lightweight, he defeated Linares via a 10th-round TKO despite tearing his labrum during the fight, and then he picked apart Jose Pedraza in devastating fashion for 12 rounds.
Lomachenko landed *42 power punches* in Round 11 🥊
Speed, power, accuracy. “Hi-Tech” is a machine-like technician, and most boxing fans are already well aware that anytime he steps inside the ring–no matter the opponent–you’re going to see a dazzling show.
You can expect that to once again be the case Friday night in LA.
In the co-main event, Gilberto Ramirez (39-0-0) vs Tommy Karepency (29-6-1) in the former’s first bout at light heavyweight, while 27-year-old prospect Arnold Barboza Jr. (20-0-0) will take on former world champion Mike Alvarado (40-4-0) on the undercard.
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