Lomachenko beats Pedraza in unification bout

By David Finger at ringside
Photos: Sumio Yamada

WBA lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (12-1, 9 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision to take the belt of WBO lightweight champion Jose Pedraza (25-2, 12 KOs) in a lightweight unification clash on Saturday night at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

It was a tactical fight with Lomachenko bringing the pressure but not dominating in normal Loma fashion until round eleven when he exploded and battered Pedraza pillar to post with two knockdowns. Scores were 119-107, 117-109, 117-109.

“It was my dream to unify titles,” Lomachenko said. “It was my next goal. I can now focus on my next chapter…He’s a veteran. He did a very good job, and I respect Pedraza and his team.”

Said Pedraza: “I am happy with my performance tonight. I went 12 rounds with the best fighter in the world. I knew what we were going up against. I thought it was a close fight until the knockdowns. At the end of the day, I am proud of what I did.”

–