Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Jamaine Ortiz preview and prediction

Vasiliy Lomachenko takes on Jamaine Ortiz On Oct. 29 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden

On Saturday at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater, fans will witness the return of one of boxing’s top fighters in, three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs).

Lomachenko will be taking on the 26-year-old undefeated Jamaine Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs). At 34, with close to 400 amateur bouts, two Olympic gold medals, and titles in three weight classes as a professional, Lomachenko is likely in the final chapters of his storied career.

In 2020, the Ukrainian technician suffered the second defeat of his professional career. He lost a close unanimous decision to Teofimo Lopez. Most pundits consider the loss to Lopez to be the first comprehensive defeat of his career. After a slow start over the first six rounds, Lomachenko didn’t put his imprint on the match until the second half. However, it wasn’t enough to sway the judges in his favor. After the bout with Lopez, Lomachenko had surgery on his right shoulder and wouldn’t return to the ring until the summer of 2021.

In June 2021, Lomachenko stopped the always-tough Masayoshi Nakatani over nine rounds. The three-division champion administered a beating on the Japanese contender in an outstanding showing. Six months later, in December 2021, Lomachenko put forth another dominant performance winning a twelve-round decision over Ghana’s Richard Commey.

Lomachenko-Ortiz will stream live on ESPN+

The two-time Olympic gold medalist’s showings against Nakatani and Commey displayed that he is still at an elite level. But many wonder how he will fare against the likes of fighters like undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson. No longer is Lomachenko viewed as the clear favorite against them, despite his stellar resume.

Earlier this year, Lomachenko was scheduled to take on former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos. However, Lomachenko chose to stay in his native Ukraine to help during the recent Russian invasion. The landscape at lightweight has changed, with Devin Haney sitting at the top of the weight class. The bout with Ortiz will be a measuring bar for Lomachenko’s current status as one of the best in the world and how he could potentially fair against Haney.

“I love my sport, and I am so glad to be back. My goal is to win the undisputed lightweight title, but I will not take Jamaine Ortiz lightly,” Lomachenko said in a press release for the bout with Jamaine Ortiz. “Madison Square Garden and Hulu Theater at MSG have been special places in my career, and I look forward to making more great memories on Oct. 29. I want to dedicate this fight to all my Ukrainian people. I wear the flag proudly every time I step in the ring.”

Ortiz isn’t the most well-known fighter, but he shouldn’t be underestimated. In his previous performance, Ortiz largely dominated former junior lightweight titleholder, Jamel Herring. The fighting Marine was using Ortiz as a stepping-stone following his loss to Shakur Stevenson, but Ortiz had other plans in mind. Will Lomachenko fall into the same circumstances as Herring?

In his sixth appearance at a Madison Square Garden venue, look for Lomachenko to be in rare form. The Ukrainian is likely aware that should he lose to Ortiz, it will thwart any plans he has in challenging for the undisputed lightweight title. Much like Jose Pedraza, Ortiz will be competitive and prove to be a much better opponent than advertised. In the end, Lomachenko should have his hand raised as we await for him to find more significant challenges in 2023.

Prediction: Vasiliy Lomachenko via unanimous decision.