Jorge Linares wants Vasyl Lomachenko bout 'no matter what'

WBA world lightweight champion Jorge Linares says he wants to fight Vasyl Lomachenko "no matter what" amid speculation they will meet on 12 May.

Talks are ongoing for Linares to defend his title against the Ukrainian, who is WBO world champion a weight division lower at super-featherweight.

Linares, 32, tweeted Lomachenko: "I know you're ready for May 12. I am too. I don't want politics to interfere.

"I will tell my promoter no matter what I will take the fight."

Any meeting between the pair is set to take place at Madison Square Garden and would be expected to prove a huge draw.

But it is reported Linares' promoters - Golden Boy Promotions - are not keen on the date as it would cause a scheduling clash for broadcasters HBO.

Linares has won world titles in three weight classes and has beaten Britain's Anthony Crolla, twice, and Luke Campbell in the past two years to take his record to 44 wins from 47 bouts.

But Lomachenko, 29, is widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

During his amateur career he built a record of 396 wins and one loss, winning gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

He challenged for a world title in just his second bout as a professional but lost before going on to land the WBO super-featherweight title in his seventh contest.

In his last outing, he forced fellow two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux to retire after six rounds, taking his record to 10 wins and one defeat.