Vasiliy Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas, has written to all major sanctioning bodies to request his fighter be named number one challenger.
The Ukrainian challenged for Haney’s undisputed lightweight title this past weekend in Las Vegas, losing via unanimous decision following twelve intense rounds packed full of technique.
Many in the sport had Lomachenko winning, and his team believe that the judging is grounds for further action. The letter to the WBA read as follows.
“This past Saturday in Las Vegas, Vasiliy Lomachenko challenged Undisputed Lightweight Champion Devin Haney in Las Vegas.
The crowd at the MGM and the boxing world reacted to condemn what it believes to be an unfair and unjust decision that denied Loma his rightful victory and his lifetime goal of being undisputed champion of the world.”
Klimas went on to confirm that they would be appealing the result of the fight, and requested that Lomachenko be instated as number one challenger.
“As Team Loma prepares an appeal of the decision, and in light of the highly controversial outcome of the bout, on behalf of Vasiliy Lomachenko, I ask that the WBA rate Loma as the #1 and recognise him as the mandatory contender for the title in the Lightweight Division.
Loma was denied his victory in the ring on Saturday, and he deserves the opportunity to be ranked #1 and to get another chance at realising his goals as soon as possible.”
This correspondence was replicated and adjusted to each of the four main sanctioning bodies, in a strategy that would perhaps see Haney with no option to rematch the Ukrainian should he stay at the weight.
Letter send to @WBCBoxing pic.twitter.com/RZM4QCyGER
— Egis Klimas (@KlimasBoxing) May 24, 2023
It likely won’t sit well with Shakur Stevenson – who has been confirmed as the WBC mandatory challenger – or Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, the WBA’s Regular Champion.