Lomachenko strives to be the best fighter in the world
Vasyl Lomachenko is on a mission to get to the top, and his dismantling of Miguel Marriaga (25-2, 21 KO) of Colombia in early August 2017 with Marriaga retiring in the seventh round and forcing Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KO) of Cuba to retire in the sixth round in December 2017 got the Ukrainian closer to being regarded as boxing’s undisputed pound-for-pound No. 1.
Lomachenko has held the No. 1 spot in the junior lightweight division according to ESPN rankings as of December 2017, and in the division rankings as of May of this year; he has been recognized as the junior lightweight pound-four-pound No. 1 since March of this year.
What is not in doubt is the 30-year-old’s superb skills. The speed with which he throws punches, always finding their target, has some experts calling him “The Matrix.” Others have compared him to welterweight Manny Pacquiao (59-7-2, 38 KO) of the Phillipines, both in terms of his speed and potential star talent.
“This is the best fighter I’ve seen since Muhammad Ali,” said Lomachenko’s promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank (interview with ESPN in August 2017). “Lomachenko has a skill set like I have never seen in the 50 years that I have been promoting boxing.”
Lomachenko’s offensive strategy is based on throwing punches from varying angles, created by deft lateral movement. He is capable of landing many quick jabs at blurring speed, only to offset them with powerful knockout blows, like a left hook followed by a right hook finish.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist is one of boxing’s most complete packages: skills, hand speed, movement, ring intelligence, creativity and raw power.
What some say he lacks, is a victory over another fighter rated among the pound-for-pound elite. The Marriaga massacre notwithstanding, Lomachenko might need at least another big win on his resume.
Atop his personal want list is tough Mexican super featherweight Orlando Salido (44-12-2, 29 KO), who prevented the Ukrainian from making history in his second-ever pro fight in March 2014.
Salido didn’t make weight and was stripped of his world featherweight title the day before he was scheduled to meet Lomachenko in Texas. “Loma” was not prepared for Salido’s hardened professional approach and lost a split decision. After the bout Lomachenko complained about low blows, but wanted an immediate rematch.
Salido, 36, did not agree to a rematch, and instead Lomachenko defended his title against the Colombian Marriaga. It seems some boxers are reluctant to match up against the Ukrainian, whose goal is to be the best fighter in the world. Beating Marriaga was a small step toward his ultimate goal.
Moving up one weight division to face WBA champion Linares (42-3, 27 KO) from Venezuela was seen by some to be a dangerous move, although the victory definitely cemented Lomachenko as pound-for-pound No. 1.
“Hi-Tech” an accomplished dancer
Lomachenko, billed as “Hi-Tech,” is presently in phenomenal condition following the Salido setback and six consecutive triumphs. It reminds some of his amateur days when he easily overwhelmed anyone put in front of him.
Loma first started boxing at age 4 in the coastal city of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi in southern Ukraine. At age 9, his father Anatoly sent him to dance lessons and encouraged his son to play soccer and learn wrestling. At age 13, after four years of traditional Ukrainian dancing, Anatoly allowed him to box again. The father believed his son’s developed footwork through dancing prepared him for the boxing ring.
One can only imagine how hungry the youngster was to put on the gloves after such an extended absence from his sport.
He was breathtaking at the 2012 London Olympics when he won a gold medal for the second successive Games, and he amassed an unbelievable amateur record of 396-1. His only defeat, to Russian Albert Selimov, was later avenged.
When he turned pro in 2013, Lomachenko vowed he didn’t want to be some regular great fighter, but wanted to be the best.
Behind the coaching of his father, Lomachenko earned world champion status three months after the loss to Salido. His 12-round point win over Gary Russell Jr. (24-0, 14 KO) for a vacant WBO featherweight belt equaled the record set by Saensak Muangsurin of Thailand (14-6, 11 KO, who died in 1981) to win a world title in just his third professional bout.
By his seventh fight, Lomachenko was a two-weight world titlist after he soundly separated Roman Martinez (29-3-3, 17 KO) of Puerto Rico from his senses in the fifth round at Madison Square Garden in June 2016. He then toyed with Nicholas Walters (26-0-1, 21 KO) of Jamaica, who quit in the seventh round, in November 2016. Lomachenko earned his first $1 million purse by dismantling Walters and then followed up with a pounding of Jason Sosa (20-1-4), 15 KO (nine rounds) in April 2017.
Marriaga was yet another notch on the championship belt on his road to being the best. More challenging battles await if Vasyl Lomachenko is to make it to the top of the class.
Lomachenko likables: Born February 17, 1988, he is referred to by many as the greatest amateur boxer of all time, having boxed as a featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight. He won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships and won consecutive gold medals at 2009 and 2011 Worlds. In the junior lightweight (featherweight) division, he is ranked No.1 by Box Rec, the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and The Ring Magazine. He is nicknamed “Hi-Tech” and “The Matrix,” and he is left-handed. If not boxing, he would have pursued a career in professional hockey.
Ihor Stelmach may be reached at [email protected].