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Goodman said. • He was 10-3, with seven knockouts, against reigning, past or future world titleholders. • His opponents had a combined record of 561-45-17 at the time, a .900 winning percentage. Salido accounted for 12 of those losses. • He defeated four unbeaten opponents: Russell, Nicholas Walters, fellow amateur star Guillermo Rigondeaux and Jamaine Ortiz. Of course, he could’ve padded his record like most fighters do by knocking off pushovers in four-, six- and eight-rounders as part of the typical maturation process. He could
the ropes,” he said. “Lomachenko had one fight and then went straight into a title fight. He had a huge apprenticeship as an amateur, coming through that computer scoring system. Nobody ever said, ‘He needs to adapt his style. He needs to change.’ He was there right from the start. “What a quality boxer he was. I don’t think he gets the recognition he deserves.” Lomachenko obviously commanded attention from the outset of his professional career, the boldness of his career path, his perfectly honed skill set and, of course, his accomplishments. The experts thought enough of him to recognize him as the best fighter in the world for several years.
beauty, as if he were part athlete and part ballet dancer. He always seemed to be in exactly the right place at the right time, which allowed him to pick apart one baffled opponent after another. He might take one or two rounds to gather crucial data but, once he figured you out, he forced you to bend to his will. “His judgment of distance was incredible,” Campbell said. “His footwork, his flurries, his combinations, his IQ, everything. I hit him with a shot in the first round that made his knees dip. I couldn’t land that shot again over the next 12 rounds. “I’m quite smart as well. I trick people into giving me what I want. He wouldn’t give me anything. Nothing.”
working guy who found his calling as a child and made the most of it. “One of the first things I said to him when I met him was that he has a birth defect: He was born in a different country,” Klimas said. “Imagine if he were Mexican. Imagine how big he would’ve been. But this is where he was born. We have to respect that.” As it was, he earned universal respect. Arum and the rest of those interviewed for this article were asked where they believe Lomachenko ranks among the top fighters of the last half century. They all agreed that he was among the best of his era, given his success at both the amateur and professional levels. And while none placed him alone at the top of their lists, they weren’t afraid to group him with some storied champions. Arum was asked whether he could say Lomachenko’s name in the same sentence with Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, who built legendary careers. He didn’t hesitate to answer in the affirmative. “He’s in the same sentence,” Arum said. “Each of them were different. Every boxer has something that makes them unique. None are the same. All have different personalities, different aspirations and different careers. “What made Lomachenko unique? He was interested in his craft, almost to the exclusion of being interested in monetary rewards. Obviously he wanted to get purses, but that was secondary. “He was an artist. He took great pride in the art of boxing. You could see that every time he stepped into the ring.”
Guillermo Rigondeaux December 9, 2017 Madison Square Garden Theater Title: WBO junior lightweight Despite Lomachenko being a couple of divisions north of Rigondeaux, this was considered a dream match between two of the best amateur fighters in history. It turned into a nightmare for Rigo. Accustomed to controlling fighters with ease, the previously unbeaten Cuban couldn’t get a thing done against Lomachenko. He was outclassed from start to finish and retired on his stool claiming a hand injury. Result: TKO 6 Gary Russell Jr. June 21, 2014 – StubHub Center, Carson, California Title: WBO featherweight The 24-0 Russell hadn’t lost a fight for seven years, amateur or pro, when he went against Lomachenko for a vacant world title. It was elite-level combat between the pair, and Russell had his moments. However, Lomachenko was undoubtedly superior and the majority decision victory in his favor flattered Russell. Result: MD 12 Nicholas Walters November 26, 2016 – Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas Title: WBO junior lightweight Undefeated in 27 fights, Walters was expected by many to provide stern resistance when he challenged for Lomachenko’s world title. He didn’t have a prayer! Using angles rarely seen in the ring, the Ukrainian wizard whipped home accurate combinations for seven rounds before forcing Walters to remain on his stool. Result: TKO 7
During an 11-year professional career, Lomachenko turned in some exquisite performances across multiple divisions. The Ring takes a look back at five of the Ukrainian master’s most outstanding displays (in alphabetical order).
be, say, 40-3 with many more knockouts. He didn’t need to because he received his education in the amateur ranks, which is why he pushed to face the best possible opposition right out of the gate. Trainer Shane McGuigan, who was in Campbell’s corner when he fought Lomachenko, was sold on him a long time ago.
Or, as McGuigan put it, “He was just two steps ahead [of Campbell] the whole fight. He was a master at getting people to fight the way he wanted.” Gallagher compared Lomachenko to some of the best of his generation. “Guys like Canelo [Alvarez] and Andre [Ward] are just really, really good boxers. The same
“He had 21 fights. He fought for a world title in the second. He went straight to that level. That’s insane. He didn’t need development.” - Shane McGuigan
Jorge Linares May 12, 2018 – Madison Square Garden Titles: The Ring and WBA lightweight Unbeaten in 13 straight fights over six years, the classy Linares fought brilliantly, decking Lomachenko for the first time in his career in Round 6. Adapting immediately, the quick- moving Ukrainian soon solved the puzzle and halted the defending champ with a sharp left- hand body shot in Round 10. Result: TKO 10 Roman Martinez June 11, 2016 – Madison Square Garden Theater Title: WBO junior lightweight Despite debuting in a new weight class against a formidable world titleholder, Lomachenko operated at a level Roman Martinez could only dream of reaching. The challenger won every round before ending the fight with a spectacular left uppercut-right hook combination that laid the Puerto Rican fighter out like a rug. Result: KO 5
However, he could’ve been more popular. He didn’t have one-punch knockout power, which all fans find attractive. He stopped his opponents with hard, accurate volume punching. Indeed, his style appealed more to those who appreciate the finer points of boxing. As Campbell implied earlier, Lomachenko, who started boxing as a toddler, could be mesmerizing. His footwork and spacing were things of
with Lomachenko. I remember walking away from his fight with Anthony [Crolla] thinking, ‘Wow, how can anyone be that good?’” Still, not everyone bought into Lomachenko 100% because of the subtleness of his attack. And he had something else working against him: He didn’t connect with many fans because his English is limited and he wasn’t flamboyant. Lomachenko is simply a gifted, hard-
“He had 21 fights. He fought for a world title in the second. He went straight to that level,” McGuigan said. “That’s insane. He didn’t need development. He had a very good career, an amazing career.” Trainer Joe Gallagher, who watched his fighter Anthony Crolla get stopped by Lomachenko in four rounds, agrees with McGuigan. “Most fighters need 20 fights to learn
“I think Lomachenko is an all-time great, talented fighter. The things that he was capable of doing were tremendous. He was great and I take my hat off to him. He had a helluva career and done a lot for the sport in a short period of time and I wish him nothing but the best.
“When he went up in weight, he was always the smallest guy. He was fighting these massive guys just to try to appease the fans; fighting certain fighters they wanted him to fight when he could have just stayed at 130.” - Terence Crawford
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