Vasiliy Lomachenko hasn’t worn a world title belt since he was upset by Teofimo Lopez in October 2020, which is difficult to imagine given his pound-for-pound potential and the glut of championship trinkets.
He’ll get an opportunity to reclaim a belt as soon as extra on Saturday at RAC Area in Perth, Australia, the place he’ll face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title.
Lomachenko, 36, has mentioned he’s not removed from the top of his pugilistic highway however he has a lot left to provide. The oddsmakers have made him a couple of 5½-1 favourite to beat Kambosos on the latter’s residence soil.
“I’m simply trying ahead to the IBF title,” the two-time Olympic champion mentioned. “I must take my title. After which after that, I can take into consideration my future.”
Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) maintains that he deserved to get the choice within the Lopez combat, through which he began slowly – maybe as a result of he fought with a nagging shoulder harm – however rallied within the later rounds to make it a detailed combat.
Nonetheless, it was too little too late for all three judges, who gave Lopez the nod and the Ukrainian’s championship belts.
Many imagine that Lomachenko did sufficient to beat then-unbeaten and undisputed light-weight champ Devin Haney in Could of final 12 months, as he delivered a classic efficiency.
Once more, although, Lomachenko ended up on the unsuitable finish of a detailed, however unanimous choice, which allowed Haney to retain his belts and left the loser annoyed yet one more time.
The combat on Saturday is totally different from the 2 talked about above, no less than on paper.
Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) delivered a monumental upset when he outpointed Lopez to develop into champion in 2021. Nonetheless, Lopez fought with a life-threatening situation through which air surrounded his coronary heart, which presumably affected his efficiency.
And Kambosos has struggled since, dropping back-to-back fights to Haney after which eking out a call over journeyman Maxi Hughes.
Some imagine Kambosos, a fiery, robust however restricted boxer, is a one-hit surprise who can be in over his head towards a grasp technician like Lomachenko.
In fact, Lomachenko has been round too lengthy to take something or anybody as a right. He repeatedly referred to the matchup as “fascinating,” which apparently was his method of giving Kambosos his due.
“I’ve been on this sport a very long time,” he mentioned. “We’re two professionals. We all know boxing. It is going to be very, very fascinating for each. It is going to be very, very fascinating for all followers of boxing.”
Lomachenko sat atop some credible pound-for-pound lists earlier than the setback towards Lopez. That distinction will most likely stay in his previous as a brand new technology of stars make their method up the record.
That mentioned, Lomachenko (ranked No. 13 by Boxing Junkie) may nonetheless make a big transfer if sure issues fall into place.
Promoter Bob Arum, who handles each Lomachenko and sublimely expert Shakur Stevenson, mentioned he desires to pair the 2 collectively if Lomachenko beats Kambosos and Stevenson will get previous Artem Harutyunyan on July 6.
Then Lomachenko would have the chance to get again to the place he and lots of others imagine he belongs, among the many finest handful of fighters on the planet.
