Eyebrows were slightly raised when the 25 year-old was initially pitted against Jonathan Oquendo (23-3, 16 KO’s) in his maiden foray into the paid ranks until the Puerto Rican pulled out this week through injury.
In a huge vote of confidence to Lomachenko, who ended his amateur defeating all of his near 400 opponents, the two-time Olympic champion has now been given an even tougher assignment on paper against current WBO International champion Ramirez.
The Mexican is currently ranked number seven with the World Boxing Organisation, holding a record of 25-3, with 18 stoppages and rumour has it that Lomachenko will earn an instant world title fight if victorious. That could possibly be against the winner of Orlando Salido v Orlando Cruz, which takes place on the same bill at the Thomas and Mack Center for the vacant WBO featherweight belt.
“Oquendo is out for Lomachenko and Jose Ramirez is in. Vasyl has to win his first fight and then we will see where he goes from there,” Moretti told World Boxing News when asked about the potential world shot.
