Getty Vasiliy Lomachenko is ready for his comeback fight against ex-sparring partner Jamaine Ortiz.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is the firm favorite for his fight against former sparring partner Jamaine Ortiz at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre on Saturday, October 29.
Lomachenko enters the bout as a former world champion at three different weights, but the 34-year-old interrupted his in-ring career to join Ukraine’s war effort against Russia. Ortiz is an intriguing opponent for a comeback fight because of his knowledge of Lomachenko.
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In the US, the card (5:30 p.m. ET start time, with Lomachenko vs Ortiz expected to start around 10:30 p.m. ET) won’t be on TV anywhere, but you can watch the fight live on ESPN+ right here:
ESPN+ includes dozens of different live sports, including most Top Rank fights, plus every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (or $13.99 per month for a bundle of all three of ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu).
Once signed up for ESPN+, you can watch Lomachenko vs Ortiz live on the ESPN app or ESPN.com.
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Lomachenko vs Ortiz Preview
Lomachenko told Reuters (h/t BBC Sport) why he felt compelled to return to his homeland earlier this year: “During those first days, the Russian military advanced very rapidly, taking over one city after another and going towards Kiev. So you could not get a clear understanding of what might happen tomorrow in your area, in your region.”
Now he’s back in the ring, Lomachenko is widely expected to let his class show against Ortiz. The latter is no slouch, though, evidenced by his 16-0-1 record, with eight of his wins via knockout.
Ortiz also has the advantage in reach and height, according to the tale of the tape, per ESPN Ringside:
This main event is set to light up MSG 🙌
#LomaOrtiz | OCT 29 | 10 PM ET | @ESPNPlus
There’s power in his gloves, but Ortiz is known as ‘The Technician’ for a reason. He’s a versatile proponent of the sweet science who knows all about Lomachenko, having sparred with the Olympic gold medallist in the past.
That experience won’t count for much, according to Scott Christ of SB Nation’s Bad Left Hook. He believes Ortiz has yet to beat somebody “in league with Lomachenko.” Christ is predicting a 10-round TKO for Lomachenko, a prediction shared by his colleagues Wil Esco and John Hansen.
Only Patrick Stumberg believes the fight will be over sooner. He predicts a seventh-round stoppage on the basis “Jamaine Ortiz is a very good fighter taking on someone who eats very good fighters for breakfast.”
It’s a reasonable statement considering Lomachenko hasn’t tasted defeat since losing by unanimous decision to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020. Usually, the southpaw frustrates opponents with almost unbreakable defences.
A key part of the lightweight’s defensive nous is footwork endorsed by ex-WBA champ Anthony Crolla. He told Sky Sports’ John Dennen about Lomachenko’s “ability to make a fighter miss but not by such a great distance, make them miss just enough. The footwork is mind-blowing.”
Lomachenko is selective with his shots, but as numbers from Inside Boxing Live host Dan Canobbio show, the veteran still connects consistently and with power:
Vasiliy Lomachenko’s ranks among active boxers:
Plus/Minus Rating – 18.6 (𝐓-𝟏𝐬𝐭)
Power Punch Rate – 48.4% (𝟏𝐬𝐭)
Total Connect Rate – 36.9% (𝟐𝐧𝐝)
Opponent Connect Rate – 18.3% (𝟑𝐫𝐝)
Re-establishing himself as the top fighter in a loaded lightweight division is Lomachenko’s priority. Outclassing somebody as capable as Ortiz would be an emphatic statement Lomachenko is back to his best.