It looked like there were no obstacles in the way of making the last true superfight possible at lightweight. Both Gervonta Davis and Vasyl Lomachenko scored knockout wins over Frank Martin and George Kambosos Jr., respectively, and both camps seemed open to a long-anticipated showdown. Though the fight is at its most marketable and feasible from a boxing politics standpoint, there remains one key hurdle: the fighters themselves must want the bout. Despite calling out Davis for years, Lomachenko has decided he's done fighting for the year, just as the two seemed to be heading toward a showdown that's been brewing since 2017.
Davis isn't waiting around for Lomachenko. Reports are swirling that TGB Promotions, which is often linked with Al Haymon and Davis, has requested the T-Mobile Arena to hold November 2 for a fight to be announced. While Davis hasn't held back from targeting his contemporaries—WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson has particularly drawn his ire in recent months—unconfirmed rumors suggest that Davis is preparing to challenge the newly crowned WBA junior welterweight champion Jose "Rayo" Valenzuela. Valenzuela earned the title after defeating Isaac "Pitbull" Cruz on August 3 by split decision.
Cruz, who lost a competitive decision to Davis in 2020, had been a top candidate for a rematch with Davis. However, Cruz’s defeat to Valenzuela made him a less appealing option, especially in the stacked 140-pound division. Cruz’s victory over a similarly overmatched Rolando Romero had already put him in the sights of every top-15 contender, including WBC champion Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, and Stevenson.
With his upset win, Valenzuela not only captured Cruz's title but also gained significant momentum after their spirited 12-round battle. This makes him a compelling foil for Davis. A Davis vs. Valenzuela fight would likely see Davis swooping in on "Rayo" while he's still riding the wave of his recent victory, with Davis potentially knocking him out and becoming a three-division champion—a distinction he would share with Lomachenko.
Whether or not this would entice Lomachenko remains to be seen. Bob Arum has confirmed that Lomachenko will return in 2025, suggesting that a showdown with Davis could be on the horizon following a potential year-long layoff. However, if Lomachenko was unwilling to face Davis in November after fighting in May, it's difficult to envision him stepping into the ring for a fight of that magnitude while dealing with ring rust.
Should Lomachenko decide to return, he might have the option to face Davis in a title unification bout at lightweight or take a gamble by attempting to become a four-division champion—if Davis manages to conquer Valenzuela this fall.
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