Fight Week: Vasiliy Lomachenko, Joseph Diaz Jr., Jake Paul in action on busy Saturday
FIGHT WEEK
Vasiliy Lomachenko will face Jamaine Ortiz with an eye on a title shot against Devin Haney. Also, Joseph Diaz Jr. and William Zepeda are set for an important lightweight bout. And Jake Paul will face his toughest test when he takes on Anderson Silva.
VASILIY LOMACHENKO (16-2, 11 KOs) VS. JAMAINE ORTIZ (16-0-1, 8 KOs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 29
Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, New York
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: Lomachenko No. 8
Odds: Lomachenko 13-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Robeisy Ramirez vs. Jose Matias Romero, featherweights; Richard Torrez Jr. vs. Ahmed Hefny, heavyweights; Duke Ragan vs. Luis Lebron, featherweights; Nico Ali-Walsh vs. Billy Wagner, middleweights
Prediction: Lomachenko UD
Background: Lomachenko, the WBC’s No. 1 contender, must defeat Ortiz to remain in position to challenge undisputed 135-pound champion Devin Haney. The 34-year-old Ukrainian hasn’t fought since he easily outpointed Richard Commey last Dec. 11, more than 10 months ago. That followed a ninth-round knockout of Masayoshi Nakatani the previous June, his first fight since he lost his lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez by a unanimous decision in October 2020. Ortiz is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Jamel Herring in May, which retired Herring and put Ortiz on everyone’s radar. The 26-year-old from Worcester, Massachusetts, was an outstanding amateur. He fought in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials and reportedly finished his career in the unpaid ranks with a record of 100-14. He’s 2-0 since he drew with capable Joseph Adorno in April of last year, the only blemish on his record.
JOSEPH DIAZ JR. (32-2-1, 15 KOs) VS. WILLIAM ZEPEDA (26-0, 23 KOs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 29
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Pechanga Arena San Diego, San Diego
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Alexis Rocha vs. Jesus Perez, welterweights; Leonela Yudica vs. Arely Mucino, flyweights (for Yudica’s IBF title); Hector Valfez Jr. vs. Max Ornelas, junior featherweights
Prediction: Zepeda SD
Background: The main event pits two respected 135-pound southpaws against one another. Diaz, a former 130-pound titleholder, is coming off a one-sided decision loss to undisputed champion Devin Haney last December, his first shot at a lightweight title. That followed a big unanimous-decision victory over Javier Fortuna that earned him the right to face Haney. The 29-year-old from the Los Angeles area fought in the 2012 Olympics for the United States. Zepeda, a hard puncher from Mexico, is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over veteran Rene Alvarado in May, his most significant win. The 26-year-old had stopped his previous 15 opponents. Zepeda is ranked by three sanctioning bodies, Diaz by two.
JAKE PAUL (5-0, 4 KOs) VS. ANDERSON SILVA (3-1, 2 KOs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 29
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Desert Diamond Arena, Glendale, Arizona
TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
Division: Cruiserweight (187-pound catch weight)
At stake: No major titles
Pound-for-pound ranking: None
Odds: Even (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Le’Veon Bell vs. Uriah Hall, cruiserweights; Ashton Sylve vs. Braulio Rodriguez, junior lightweights; Chris Avila vs. Mikhail Varshavski, cruiserweights
Prediction: Silva KO 3
Background: Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer, will face his most-significant test against Silva. Paul last fought in December of last year, when he stopped Tyron Woodley with a monstrous right hand in the sixth round. Paul had narrowly outpointed the former MMA champion three-plus months earlier. Paul has feasted on a fellow YouTuber, a retired basketball player and two MMA stars. Silva, 47, also had his greatest success in MMA but he has a boxing background. The Brazilian took part in two boxing matches (going 1-1) early in his career and then returned to the sport last year, upsetting former middleweight titleholder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. by a split decision in June. He then knocked out former MMA champion Tito Ortiz in one round the following September.
KATIE TAYLOR (21-0, 6 KOs) VS. KAREN ELIZABETH CARABAJAL (19-0, 2 KOs)
When: Saturday, Oct. 29
Time: 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: OVO Arena, London
TV/Stream: DAZN
Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
At stake: Taylor’s undisputed championship
Odds: Taylor 20-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Jordan Gill vs. Kiko Martinez, featherweights; Gary Cully vs. Jaouad Belmehdi, lightweights; Mary Romero vs. Ellie Scotney, junior featherweights; Mickey Ellison vs. Thomas Whittaker Hart, light heavyweights
Prediction: Silva KO 3
Background: Taylor is 36 but still going strong. The Irishwoman, arguably the top female fighter in the world, is coming off a split-decision victory in defense of her undisputed championship over pound-for-pound rival Amanda Serrano this past April in New York City. Taylor is 15-0 in world title fights and 12-0 against current or former world titleholders. Carabajal is taking an enormous step up in opposition. The 32-year-old from Buenos Aires is unbeaten but has fought only fellow Argentines in the South American country. Plus, she has fought primarily at 130 pounds. Carabajal is coming off a unanimous-decision victory over Lorena Edith Agoutborde in April.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
WEDNESDAY
Bryan Chevalier vs. Angel Aponte, junior lightweights, San Juan, Puerto Rico (ProBox TV).
THURSDAY
Mathias Radcliffe vs. Andres Gerardo, lightweights, Costa Mesa, California (FITE).
FRIDAY
Guido Vianello vs. Jay McFarlane, heavyweights, Rome (ESPN+).
