Gary Russell Jr.

(Picture credit: Hogan Photos) By Dan Ambrose: #4 WBO Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1) will be taking a big career risk this Saturday night against the more experienced #1 WBO Gary Russell Jr (24-0, 14 KO’s) in an ill-advised fight for the vacant WBO featherweight title at the StubHub Center, in Carson, California, USA. Lomachenko was already exposed in his last fight in getting out-worked and out-punching by the older Orlando Salido last March.

Instead of learning his lesson in that he didn’t have the experience to be fighting for world titles, Lomachenko has decided to fight for the same time for a second time. He was given a huge break by the World Boxing Organization with them ranking him high and ordering a fight between him and Russell Jr. What the WBO did was unheard, because you don’t see fighters with 1-1 records being given world title shots in the sport.

By Paul Richardson: This Saturday night two time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist #4 WBO Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1, 1 KO) takes on flashy American #1 WBO Gary Russell Jr (24-0, 14 KO’s) at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. The fight is for the vacant WBO featherweight title which Orlando Salido lost on the scales before controversially outpointing Lomachenko by a 12 round split decision last March at the Alamodome, in San Antonio, Texas in his previous fight.

Gary Russell j has been whining about Lomachenko getting two title shots in only three professional fights, but of course he conveniently ignores the fact that he has not exactly done anything to warrant a shot at the title either having never beaten a significant opponent.

By Matt Wood: Two exciting featherweights will square off for the vacant WBO 126-pound title this month on June 21 in American Gary Russell Jr. (24-0) and Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1). If you’re unfamiliar with these fighters, their records might indicate a lopsided fight with Lomachenko having only two pro bouts under his belt, one of which is a loss, while Russel has steadily stacked up wins as a pro since 2009.

By Allan Fox: The contracts have been signed for the June 21st fight between #1 WBO Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KO’s) and #5 WBO Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1, 1 KO’s) for their fight for the vacant WBO featherweight title on HBO at a still to be determined venue in Los Angeles, California. This is a controversial situation with Lomachenko, a two time Olympic gold medalist from Ukraine, getting a second shot at the WBO featherweight title after he was beaten in his last fight by Orlando Salido by a 12 round split decision last March.

By Chris Williams: Having failed at trying to capture the vacant WBO featherweight title last March in his loss to Orlando Salido, #5 WBO Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1, 1 KO’s) will get another chance at winning the WBO featherweight title on June 21st against unbeaten #1 WBO, #3 WBC, Gary Russell Jr. 24-0, 14 KO’s) in Los Angeles., California in a fight that could wind up at the StubHub center in Carson, California.

Earlier on Friday, Golden Boy Promotions out-bid Top Rank in a purse bid to promote the fight. Golden Boy edged Top Rank by out-bidding them by a $1,052, 250 offer to $1,050,000.

By Chris Williams: The World Boxing Organization surprised a lot of boxing fans this week when the WBO president Francisco Varcarcel ordered a fight between #1 WBO Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KO’s) and the recently beaten and arguably totally undeserving Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1). The fight between these two fighters will occur by July at the latest. What was surprising about it was that Lomachenko was beaten in his last fight by Orlando Salido on March 1st of this month, and here the WBO are giving him Lomachenko another shot at a world title.

In other words, they’re handing a fighter with a 1-1 record back to back world title shots. Russell Jr. is happy to be fighting for a world title, but he wonders why the WBO let Lomachenko bypass all the other world title challengers that the WBO has ranked. Russell Jr. feels that the WBO’s decision to give Lomachenko two shots at a world title is making a mockery of the whole idea of having rankings and a sanctioning body to oversee it.

By Chris Williams: World Boxing Organization president Paco Valcarcel has ordered that #1 WBO Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KO’s) and #5 WBO Vasyl Lomachenko (1-1) to start negotiating a fight for the vacant featherweight title. They have 30 days to negotiate the fight. If the two fighters’ promoters are unable to put the fight together within that time, then it’ll go to purse bids.

Lomachenko is getting what some boxing fans feel is another gift title shot after his loss 12 round decision loss to Orlando Salido earlier this month.