The biggest boxing event of the fall airs live on ESPN, this Saturday, October 17 when WBC Franchise /WBA /WBO world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF kingpin Teofimo Lopez, clash in a lightweight unification showdown live from the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Live coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET, with undercard action on ESPN, ESPN Deportes (in Spanish) and ESPN+ (English and Spanish).
The 10-round junior welterweight co-main features former world title challenger Alex Saucedo against unbeaten contender Arnold Barboza Jr. In the eight-round ESPN-televised opener, super middleweight knockout sensation Edgar Berlanga tests his perfect record against veteran Lanell Bellows. Berlanga (14-0, 14 KOs) has won all 14 of his professional fights by first-round stoppage.
Fight week and fight night programming will feature ESPN’s boxing commentator team, including veteran broadcaster Joe Tessitore for ringside commentary, alongside former two-division world champion and 2004 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, and future Hall of Famer Timothy Bradley on the analysis. The onsite location desk team will feature ESPN’s boxing reporter Bernardo Osuna and ESPN’s boxing insider Mark Kriegel.
Throughout fight week, ESPN will present extensive coverage across multiple platforms. Lead up coverage includes:
- SportsCenter (Fri-Sat.): Joe Tessitore to host segments for ESPN’s flagship news and information program from Las Vegas.
- LIVE – Lomachenko vs. Lopez Final Press Conference: Wed at 8 p.m. ET, on ESPN2.
- LIVE – Lomachenko vs. Lopez Official Weigh-In: Fri at 5 p.m. ET. on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
- Max on Boxing (Fri at 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2): ESPN’s boxing series hosted by Max Kellerman will air immediately following the weigh-in.
- Blood, Sweat and Tears: a two-part, behind-the-scenes look at the fighters’ camps will re-air across ESPN networks throughout the week. Full schedule.
- ESPN+ Fight Library: ESPN+ offers fans the chance to get ready for Saturday’s showdown by looking back at a host of fights from both fighters, available on demand. The collection includes 10 fights from Lomachenko’s journey to Saturday, including his “No-Mas-Chenko” defeat of Nicholas Walters, his KO defeat of Anthony Crolla and his most recent victory over Luke Campbell, among others. Additionally, fans can watch Lopez’s 2019 victory over Masayoshi Nakatani, with his recent knockout defeats of Richard Commey, Edis Tatli, Diego Magdaleno and Mason Menard available later this week as well.
Video: Blood, Sweat and Tears: Lomachenko vs. Lopez – Part II
In anticipation of the Oct. 17 lightweight unification showdown between WBC Franchise/WBA/WBO world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko and IBF kingpin Teofimo Lopez, ESPN will debut Blood, Sweat and Tears: Lomachenko vs. Lopez, a two-part, behind-the-scenes look at the fighters’ camps.
The show will provide fans a peek behind the curtain of both fighters’ regimens as they prepare to battle it out in the ring.
Episode 2: debuts Sunday, Oct. 11 at 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN (re-airs on ESPN2 Monday, Oct 12 at 11:30 p.m. ET).
Sunday’s programming lineup will also include some of Lomachenko and Lopez’s classic fights and air across ESPN and ESPN2. Be sure to tune in to ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNEWS starting Oct. 4 all the way through fight night for more classic Top Rank and re-airs of recent Lomachenko and Lopez events.
Episode 1: (Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT, ESPN (re-airs on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. ET): A visit to the respective training camps of pound-for-pound king Lomachenko in Southern California and Lopez’s in New Jersey.
ESPNDeportes.com will feature pre-and-post fight features, videos, daily reports, stats, as well as real-time fight score and analysis.
As lead up to the fight, ESPN debuted a cinematic-styled promo featuring the track “Prizefighter” by Blame My Youth.
Wed, 10/14 8:00 p.m. Lomachenko vs. Lopez Final Press Conference (LIVE) ESPN2
Fri, 10/16 5:00 p.m. Top Rank: Lomachenko vs. Lopez Weigh-In Special (LIVE) ESPN2
5:30 p.m. Max on Boxing: Lomachenko vs. Lopez Weigh-In Special (LIVE) ESPN2
Sat., 10/17 7:30 p.m. Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Lomachenko vs. Lopez (Undercard) (LIVE) ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
10:00 p.m. Top Rank on ESPN: Lomachenko vs. Lopez (Main Card) (LIVE) ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
Main Card, Undercards and Early Undercards (All times ET)
10:00 PM Main Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
Co-Feature Alex Saucedo vs. Arnold Barboza Jr.
Feature Edgar Berlanga vs. Lanell Bellows
7:30 PM Undercards Kendo Castaneda vs. Josue Vargas ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+
Clay Collard vs. Quincy LaVallais
Jose Enrique Vivas vs. John Vincent Moralde
Jan Carlos Rivera vs. Quinton Randall
Jahi Tucker vs. Charles Garner
