It's official: Lomachenko to fight Linares for lightweight world title on May 12 at Madison Square Garden

The Vasyl Lomachenko-Jorge Linares fight is official.

According to a source reporting to ESPN, the bout is set for May 12 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Linares (44-3, 27 KO's), 32, will defend his WBA lightweight world title against top pound-for-pound contender and super featherweight champion Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KO's), 30, a former two-time Olympic gold medalist, who will seek his third world title in as many divisions.

There were rumors that the fight would fall through because of the ongoing flap between Top Rank and Linares co-promoter Golden Boy Promotions. Furthermore, there were concerns that the Lomachenko-Linares fight would overlap with another Golden Boy card on HBO. However, ESPN, unlike Congress, compromised, and agreed to move up the start time of their event to 8 p.m. ET. Had ESPN refused to budge, the fight would have likely been canceled.

Early predictions? Let us know who you are picking!