A world title fight and the grandson of “The Greatest” take center stage on Saturday, May 20 as part of the ESPN-televised prelims to the PPV main event headlined by undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney’s title defense against former three-division champ Vasiliy Lomachenko at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The two-fight telecast is headlined by the vacant WBO junior bantamweight world title showdown between former WBA champion Andrew Moloney (25-2, 16 KOs) and undefeated former WBO flyweight titlist Junto Nakatani (24-0, 18 KOs). Opening the broadcast will be undefeated middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (8-0, 5 KOs), grandson of Muhammad Ali, in a scheduled eight-rounder against a to-be-determined foe.
Moloney-Nakatani and Ali Walsh’s return will be broadcast live on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The Haney vs. Lomachenko main card will stream live on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. Additionally, it will be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers and is priced at $59.99 across all distributors.
The Hany-Loma PPV undercard features a 10-round junior lightweight co-feature between two-division world champion Oscar Valdez and Adam “BluNose” Lopez in a rematch of their 2019 battle. In the PPV opener, lightweight Raymond “Danger” Muratalla will take on Jeremiah Nakathila in a 10-round clash.
I think that Nakatani might just be special. I’m always looking forward to seeing him in against anyone and Moloney should make for a very good opponent. I think Nakatani stops him late in a fun fight, but we’ll see.
I have a feeling the grandson of the greatest is going to get exposed,destroyed and get ktfo by a handyman fighter. So much hype for being related by the goat but i doubt he can live up to the hype! As for hanney, i see him winning a 12 rounder. Loma did not looked himself on last fight!
Looking like a pretty decent fight card. It’s also Loma’s last chance to prove himself and all the hype that has surrounded him during his professional career. It’s also Haney’s chance to take center stage with a win. I’m rooting for Loma but if I had to put money down it would be on Haney. I have a feeling on fight night it’s gonna look Loma is fighting a middle weight too. We’ll see how that pans out.
You don’t follow boxing I take it..thjs is a farewell fight for lomachenko..he proved everything by beating 10 world champs..his first fight was against a guy 20-2..get a clue ..he’s backed up the hype
Moloney has only looked good once in a title fight, now he just rocks up for a pay check. If im wrong he wins this in 12 if not he gets KTFO.
This Ali kid needs to step up the competition soon. I’d like to see him tested. So far he is looking pretty good.
No Nico Walsh looks pretty average but you knew he was going to get leaned on to go into boxing due to his lineage. And like it or lump it he is going to get 1000 times the attention anyone else is going to get at the same level because of it
They are both Lightweights, Jonathan York, may the best man win, stop with the excuses in case Loma takes his 3rd L in less than 20 fights. He’s just not as great (he’s good) as some of y’all think; just because he was 395-1 in the amateur’s, doesn’t always translate to the pro’s.
You’re probably one of those guys that moans that Rigo was too small to fight Loma, even though Rigo had belts at 118 and 122. Meanwhile Loma is a Featherweight fighting big Lightweights. In the old days Loma would have stayed at 126 and been a champ for a few years. Loma shouldn’t have gone above 130 he just does not have the stature for it. Especially in this weight bully era
I totally agree. He gets no excuses from me, the fact that he didn’t have the tools to overcome Salido was enough for me to see that he was missing some of the professional skills necessary to be number one. Loma gave the Teo fight away, but regardless at this time he has a lot to prove because of those loses. And although they will make weight for the fight it’s easy to see how much bigger Haney will be come fight night. But, don’t read it wrong, I’m with ya.
Salido was 6 pounds heavy at the weigh-in, fought dirty and lomachenko nearly stopped him in his 2nd pro fight
Hof record in title fights
Point taken, Jonathan. Your missing my point, Darin. If a fighter signs up to compete in a particular weight class, then that’s the weight class he competes at, period. I fought at 165 lbs in the amateurs and sparred lightheavyweights and knew there was a strength difference and that I did not want to compete in that weight class. If I kept fighting for many years, maybe I would have grew into it (178 in the amateurs). So, why does Loma fight at Lightweight if he’s too small? I’ve stated this before: Mayweather won titles from 130 to 154, De La Hoya from 135 to 160, Roy Jones 160 to Heavyweight, Canelo 147 to 175, Ray Leonard 147 to 175…is any of this sinking in?
Loma is more just good. Let’s use your example of you staying at 165. Did you dominate your weight class? Was it easy for you to just fight at 165? Loma fights at a higher weight because it’s a challenge and he wants to be considered the best. You are right, you sign up for the weight you fight at, true. It’s not an excuse, it’s reality. I fought consistently at 147 and 154 at 5’6 on a good day, still too heavy for my height. Recently, fought at 175 and got hosed in the decision. I never looked at the weight, I looked at the opponent and yes, I was outsized, out weighed, way short on reach, everything. That’s what makes Loma special. He can do all that to all those guys that have more physical advantages than him. Loma out boxes Haney, he knows he fought like crap last fight and will be ready.
Nico Ali Walsh versus Nakita Tszyu would be a great fight if the powers to be could get it happening. Can see the headline
reading ” Grandson of the greatest fights the son of Tszyu”
We’ve seen Walsh fight, the only connection to Ali is the name. Walsh is a beginner, he should fight Jack Paul, no talent, quit pushing him as if he’s the second coming!