Lomachenko dazzles in Los Angeles, but it’s time for him to really step up
After another dominant victory, Lomachenko must now test himself against the best, writes Jack Hirsch
IT seems incomprehensible to criticise a man – with only 10 pro fights to his name – who has won world titles in two weight divisions and made six successful defences in total. But then again, Vasyl Lomachenko is no ordinary fighter. We have never seen someone with such extraordinary accomplishments in such a short period of time, and might never again.
Already on everyone’s pound-forpound list, the two-time Olympic gold medallist has set the bar sky-high. When all is said and done, he wants to be regarded as the greatest to have ever put on gloves. Promoter Bob Arum believes the Oxnard, California-based Ukrainian is the best since Muhammad Ali. Yet for the first time in his career, Lomachenko is possibly showing slight resistance to facing upper-echelon fighters.
Granted, even the greatest fighters are not matched tough every time out, but facing Cartagena, Colombia’s Miguel Marriaga was beneath the standards that Lomachenko has set. Marriaga, now a three-time world title challenger, is game and competent, but just not in Lomachenko’s league. This was more of a showcase than an actual fight, which on the surface is unnecessary. We know how good Lomachenko is, the only question is if there is anyone in and around his weight class who is better.
Because the contest from the Microsoft Theater was aired nationally in the US on ESPN, the goal was to expose Lomachenko to a larger television audience than he has ever performed in front of before as a pro. Mission accomplished. Marriaga did his part by offering enough resistance to go some rounds, before being pulled out after the seventh.
Lomachenko, the defending WBO super-featherweight champion, is
THIS WAS MORE A SHOWCASE THAN AN ACTUAL FIGHT
the full package. If Vasyl does have a weakness, and it would be a stretch to say that he does, it would be in the power department. Lomachenko is a good puncher, but not a devastating one. He also showed some signs of being frustrated by Marriaga’s movement, which extended the bout a little longer than he would have liked it to go.
It was legendary broadcaster Larry Merchant who labelled Joe Frazier a truth machine for the relentless pressure he put on his opponents. “If you were not in supreme condition, he would find it out”, stated Merchant. Lomachenko is very similar. He took it right to Marriaga, never giving him a moment to relax.
The thing that makes it so difficult to compete with southpaw Lomachenko, let alone beat him, is his defensive wizardry. His footwork is phenomenal and he comes in at you from all angles. Marriaga found himself being forced all over the ring, rarely able to get off with an effective blow. The best punch that Marriaga landed was just before the bell sounded to end the second round, when he dipped low and came over the top to land a hard right.
In the third, a short left dropped Marriaga. Strangely, Lomachenko not only didn’t follow up, but went back to the ropes and waved Marriaga in, inviting him to exchange punches. Marriaga obliged and let go with all that he had. Lomachenko, feeling no sense of urgency, seemed to derive satisfaction from making Marriaga miss.
Hands dropped to his sides, Lomachenko chased after Marriaga in the fourth and taunted him. Marriaga came forward and perhaps intentionally butted the champion, cutting him over the left eye. Lomachenko also had a small welt under his right optic. Despite Lomachenko’s level of complete dominance, his face would look worse than Marriaga’s at the end.
Lomachenko, 29, kept the pressure on and predictably Marriaga started to fold. He looked very fatigued in the seventh, and referee Jack Reiss could have halted it at any time. Right before the bell, a left hook decked Marriaga, 30, for the second time. He got up quickly, went to his corner and it was stopped.
“It doesn’t matter who I fight next,” said Lomachenko in one breath, but then declared in the next: “I want to box the finest in the world.” Both Guillermo Rigondeaux and Mikey Garcia have shown a willingness, even an eagerness, to take Lomachenko on. It is now up to him to try and make it happen.
Every time he boxes, the stakes are arguably greater for Raymundo
Beltran than they are for anyone else. Beltran is doing more than just striving to be a world champion. The Phoenix, Arizona inhabitant needs to keep winning in order to obtain a green card so he is not sent back to his native Mexico when his US visa expires a couple of years from now. Only elite athletes and entertainers are given that consideration.
Beltran, 36, kept his dream alive of becoming a permanent US resident by taking a majority 10-round decision over San Jose, Costa Rica’s
Bryan Vasquez by scores of 95-95
‘I WANT TO BOX THE FINEST FIGHTERS IN THE WORLD’
➤ (Steve Morrow), and 96-94 twice (Jerry Cantu and Fernando Villarreal). Beltran seemed to win a little clearer than those tallies would indicate, but in the much-shorter Vasquez, 29, he was facing a man who was deceptively awkward.
Most of the rounds followed a similar pattern. Beltran, the bigger and stronger man, would impose his will on Vasquez, who even when getting overpowered would counter smartly. In the fourth, a left hook and follow-up barrage had Vasquez in trouble, but he came back and stung Beltran with a right uppercut.
Beltran was cut over the left eye in the fifth, but continued to overpower Vasquez as the sessions went by. Vasquez, an old-school defensive fighter, would counter with the occasional flurry. He enjoyed his finest moment as the fight was winding down. Early in the 10th, Beltran came away from a butt having suffered a bad gash on his forehead. The blood streamed into his eyes. And in the closing seconds Vasquez took advantage, forcing Beltran to the ropes and unloading a series of blows that had him in trouble. “He hurt me a bit,” Beltran admitted. “I had a lot of blood in my eyes and couldn’t see.” Lou Moret officiated.
Californian super-lightweights Arnold Barboza Jnr and Jonathan Chicas engaged in a spirited eight-round contest, won unanimously by Barboza by 76-74 (Mr Villarreal), 77-73 (Tony Crebs) and 78-72 (Edward Hernandez Snr).
Los Angeles’ Barboza, 25, has a perfect record after 17 contests, but does not look like a particularly standout prospect. Nevertheless, he started well and floored San Francisco’s Chicas in round three courtesy of a left hook. Chicas though kept plugging away, and in the fifth he returned the favour when a right made Barboza touch down. Chicas, 28, kept forcing the action, but Barboza finished stronger in the final frame, controlling the action from long range. Tom Taylor refereed.
2016 US Olympian Mikaela Mayer, a super-featherweight from Los Angeles, won her pro debut without much fuss. The 27-year-old stopped Green Bay, Wisconsin’s Widnelly Figueroa, also 27, at 1-15 of the first round (set for four). The matchup was terminated after Figueroa went down from a pair of body punches. Mr Moret was the referee.