Vasyl Lomachenko faces Anthony Crolla this weekend (Photo: Mikey Williams – Top Rank)

By Chris Robinson

Tomorrow night, from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, WBA/WBO lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko will defend his titles against former champion Anthony Crolla in a bout that will be aired on the ESPN + streaming app.

This isn’t the fight that fans, nor Top Rank, Lomachenko’s promoter, preferred. Top Rank CEO Bob Arum was eyeing IBF champion Richard Commey for this date, but the rugged Ghanaian injured his right hand in his title-winning second round knockout over Isa Chaniev on February 2, eliminating him as an option.

Crolla was left as the WBA mandatory, thus this is the fight we have coming on Friday evening. Crolla is a decent fighter, but has been under the radar since suffering a pair of back-to-back defeats to Jorge Linares in 2016 and 2017.

Still, Lomachenko has a job to do and seems prepared.

“I saw his fights with Linares. Anthony Crolla has a very defensive style,” said Lomachenko at the final presser on Wednesday. “I have my strategy, and I plan on showing it Friday night. I will find the key to his defense. I have to be aggressive and throw a lot of punches. I want to win and I don’t like to lose. That is my motivation. I always think about the fans and putting on a show in the ring.”

Check below for more photos from the presser.

Chris Robinson can be reached at CRobinson@hustleboss.com