Ukrainian maestro Vasiliy Lomachenko is poised to return in the summer against Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani.
Former pound-for-pound No.1 Lomachenko has been recovering from shoulder surgery following a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez in their undisputed lightweight championship bout last October.
Lomachenko (14-2, 10 KOs) is keen to prove that reports of his demise are premature and will face a solid test against Nakatani on a Top Rank promotion in the summer, according to ESPN.com. An exact date is yet to be finalised.
Nakatani (19-1, 13 KOs) is coming off a thrilling KO of Puerto Rican Felix Verdejo last December. The lanky Japanese warrior previously lost a decision to Lopez in July 2019, but posed problems with his reach and dimensions. He would enjoy a six-inch reach advantage over Lomachenko.