IBF light-weight champion Vasyl Lomachenko has been given a medical exception by the Sanctioning physique for him to carry onto his title.
IBF’s Ruling
Within the meantime, the IBF has ordered #2 Raymond Muratalla and #4 Zaur Abdullaev to battle for the interim 135-lb belt. Lomachencheko (18-3, 12 KOs) should defend his IBF title towards the Muratalla-Abdullaev winner by October eighth to maintain his belt.
It’s a tricky resolution that Lomachenko, 36, should make as a result of he wants his IBF title to assist his negotiating place for a unification battle towards WBA champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
Nonetheless, there’s no cash for Loma to battle the winner of the Muratallev vs. Abdullaev battle as a result of neither of them is well-known to informal boxing followers. Furthermore, it might be a brutal battle for Lomachenko if Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) is the one he finally ends up going through. That man can punch and is likely one of the most harmful lightweights within the division.
If the IBF permits Lomachenko to bypass the winner in order that he can battle Tank, that may be a method round having to battle the Muratalla-Abdullaev battle.
Abdullaev (20-1, 12 KOs) has gained his final 9 fights since struggling his solely profession defeat, shedding to Devin Haney by a fourth-round stoppage on September 13, 2019. Haney landed the proper shot to get the knockout in that battle. If that they had fought a rematch, Abdullaev in all probability would have crushed Haney as a result of he was doing properly earlier than being stopped.
