"The most interesting thing for me will be to look into his eyes and his father's eye and see their reaction after the fight"
Monday 6 April 2020 19:23, UK
Vasiliy Lomachenko has warned that he relishes "looking into the eyes" of Teofimo Lopez after taking his world title.
Ukraine's pound-for-pound great holds the WBA, a version of the WBC and the WBO lightweight titles and is expected to next face IBF champion Lopez in a rescheduled unification battle.
"He's a good boxer, a top fighter. He is young and hungry and has big power," Lomachenko said about Lopez who is a decade younger.
"I want this fight because he is a world champion and he holds my belt, the IBF title.
"The most interesting thing for me will be to look into his eyes and his father's eye and see their reaction after the fight."
New York-based Lopez has developed a reputation as a KO artist, with 12 stoppages in his 15 wins, having impressively dismantled Richard Commey to become IBF champion.
"It will make it easier," Lomachenko said of Lopez's methods inside the ring. "It will make my task easier.
"It is not an easy type of fighting, it is not an easy style.
"It is easier to box attacking fighters who are coming forwards. It's much easier.
"Counter-punchers are more difficult to fight. The winner will be whoever has the best boxing IQ.
"I think I know what I have to do to win."
Lopez had previously warned Lomachenko: "It's not going to go 12 rounds. At points it will be technical but at points I will muscle him, I will be a bully."
Lomachenko plans on also ending the unbeaten runs of American contenders Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney.
He said about Davis, who also holds a version of the WBA lightweight title: "Right now, I don't think he is going to fight me. He might want to fight me but his promoters are not going to let him."
Lomachenko recently replied to Haney, who has a version of his WBC belt, on social media: "He said he would knock me out. He has not fought anybody and now he is saying that he's going to knock me out?
"I said 'no problem let's do it'.
"Then he answered me right away saying: 'Yes, we can do it'.
"I said: 'I'm ready'.
"He knows I am ready. I think he is ready.
"I would like people to say: 'There is only one champion and that is Loma'."
