THE biggest and best fight in boxing during the Covid-19 pandemic finally makes its way to the ring this weekend, with a confirmed coronation of the best lightweight boxer on the planet.
Vasyl Lomachenko, the man many consider to be the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport today, defends number one spot and a collection of world title belts against the only other true world champion at 135lb, unbeaten IBF king Teofimo Lopez.
I could spend this entire article explaining the ridiculous situation with the plethora of world title belts spread about this weight class. But there’s no need. Lomachenko is the number one and Lopez the number two. It’s the very best going head to head for top dog status.
Youth versus experience. Power versus prowess. Future versus legacy. Father and son versus father and son. This fight has more narratives than a Michael Bay movie, and promises to be equally as amazing and entertaining.
Lopez is huge for the weight. Win, lose or draw, this is most likely his lightweight farewell performance. At 23, his body is desperate to fill out, which is why he and his father raced their way to the top of an exciting lightweight pile to their take shot at Loma before it was too late.
The Brooklyn native has stopped 12 of his 15 opponents, and shows seismic improvements with every fight. In December, he became the first man ever to stop Richard Commey and claim the IBF belt, completing the job inside just five minutes.
“The eyes, chico, they never lie…”@TeofimoLopez told @MarkKriegel what he saw when he looked into Lomachenko’s eyes pic.twitter.com/doenYJdAdK
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) October 13, 2020
Lopez gets the game too. He’s flash, talks trash and sells a fight better than most veteran pros. Yet in the ring, he’s also intelligent with his output. He moves well, sets up his attacks and, when he smells blood, he’s a natural finisher.
He’s also incredibly active, with four fights in 2019, culminating in his world title success. Plus, he’s got something a plethora of Loma’s previous victims didn’t have, the overriding brashness and confidence of a young man without a care in the world. He truly believes he’s going to walk through the Ukrainian, which is certainly a novel approach.
At 32, Lomachenko is hardly an old man, but in boxing he’s already a legend. A two-time Olympic and amateur world champion, his sole defeat in 397 amateur fights was avenged twice. He became world champion in just his third professional fight and made history again by achieving three-weight world champion status in just 12 contests.
The Ukrainian’s footwork is potentially the best the sport has ever seen. Whilst his exceptional hand speed, timing and ring IQ are comparable to any other great fighter in history too.
A natural featherweight, Loma actually competes at 135lb because the competition is just too easy in the division’s below. Yet since he stopped Jorge Linares to become lightweight king in 2018, he’s dropped every opponent that’s stood in his way en route to one-sided victories.
Four consecutive world class fighters quit rather than be humiliated by Loma. And how Lopez responds to potentially losing rounds without landing any power shots could well prove critical.
Lopez’s mindset and emotions suggest he will come out swinging, meaning success in the early rounds is essential if he is to cause an upset. He certainly has the power to drop Loma, who has been down before. And if he can land enough bombs early on then he may be able to get far enough ahead to force Lomachenko into taking chances later in the fight.
The fear for the IBF champion, however, is that any early success he may have fails to leave a lasting impression or, much worse, triggers Lomachenko to go into his Matrix state, as we have seen in the past. Once in full flow, the little Ukrainian is practically untouchable.
Lopez has a wonderful future in the sport, and he will be even better for this fight. But punching and missing is frustrating and that’s what Lomachenko is a master at: hitting you from all angles and not being there to hit back. As the rounds click by Lopez will grow increasingly irritated and reckless, opening himself up for body shots and a torrid ride for nothing but pride to hear the final bell.
Current bout odds: Lomachenko (1/4) Draw (20/1) Lopez (3/1)
To go the distance: Yes (4/7) No (5/4)
Method: Lomachenko by KO, TKO, or DQ (43/20), Lomachenko on points (10/11), Lopez by KO, TKO, or DQ (11/2), Lopez on points (15/2)
Click here for all Lomachenko vs Lopez current odds.
