Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez appear to be headed toward a Sept. 19 showdown.
That’s the date Top Rank’s Bob Arum gave ESPN for the lightweight title-unification bout that was supposed to have taken place on May 30 at Madison Square Garden. It was canceled because of the coronavirus.
The September fight likely would take place behind closed doors, which reportedly is OK with both fighters.
Arum, who promotes both of them, said they want to fight before the end of the year.
“In talking with Lomachenko and Lopez, neither of them want an interim fight,” Arum said. “So we would plan to do that in September, with or without an audience.”
Added Egis Klimas, Lomachenko’s manager: “Nothing matters. As long as Lopez is coming in the ring with Lomachenko.”
Arum has said Lomachenko-Lopez would be a pay-per-view event because of its magnitude.
Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) last fought last October, when he defeated Luke Campbell by a unanimous decision. Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs) is coming off his biggest victory, a second-round knockout of Richard Commey that earned him one of the 135-pound titles in December.