IBF lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko has been granted a medical exemption by the sanctioning body so he can retain his title.
FIFA referee
Meanwhile, the International Boxing Federation has ordered No. 2 Raymond Muratala and No. 4 Zaur Abdullaev to compete for the interim 135-pound belt. Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) must defend his IBF title against winner Muratala Abdullah by October 8 to retain his belt.
It's a tough decision for Lomachenko, 36, to make as he needs the IBF title to help his negotiating position in a unification fight against WBA champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
However, Loma has no money to fight the winner of the Muratalev vs. Abdullaev fight because neither is well known to casual boxing fans. Furthermore, it will be a tough fight for Lomachenko if Muratala (22-0, 17 knockouts) is the one he eventually faces. This guy can punch and is one of the most dangerous lightweights in the division.
If the AIBA allows Lomachenko to bypass the winner so he can fight Tank, that would be one way to avoid having to make the Muratalla-Abdullaev fight.
Abdullah (20-1, 12 KOs) has won his last nine fights since suffering his only career defeat, a loss to Devin Haney by fourth-round stoppage on September 13, 2019. Haney had the perfect shot to earn the knockout in that fight. If they had had a rematch, Abdullah likely would have beaten Hani because he was in good shape before he was stopped.
