Ringside Seat: Lomachenko’s quest to unify division continues in opposition to Campbell
In April, pound-for-pound king and unified light-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko beat and battered England’s Anthony Crolla, a former world titleholder, in a fourth-round knockout victory to retain his belts at Staples Middle in Los Angeles. On Saturday (four p.m. ET on ESPN+, undercard 1 p.m ET), Lomachenko is poised to defend in opposition to one other Brit.
This time he’ll face prime contender and fellow southpaw Luke Campbell, a brisker, taller and extra extremely regarded fighter than Crolla, and he’ll achieve this on Campbell’s turf on the O2 Area in London.
Not solely will Lomachenko and Campbell — each 2012 Olympic gold medalists — meet for Lomachenko’s two world title belts (WBO and WBA) but additionally for the vacant WBC 135-pound strap, as each males eye an eventual combat for the fourth title and standing because the undisputed light-weight champion.
“4 belts, it means you’re the finest in your weight class. The most effective,” Lomachenko mentioned. “You might be one world champion, not 4 world champions. One.”
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Saturday, 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell undercard.
Saturday, four p.m. ET on ESPN+: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell, 12 rounds, for Lomachenko’s WBO/WBA and vacant WBC light-weight title; Hughie Fury vs. Alexander Povetkin, 12 rounds, heavyweights.
Though Lomachenko is the clear favourite, he has at all times been a really targeted fighter and by no means one to take an opponent as a right, regardless of the chances.
“It is a robust combat,” Lomachenko mentioned of Campbell. “Lots of people speaking about, ‘Oh, it is a simple combat. Who’s Luke Campbell?’ However they do not perceive boxing. He is higher [than Crolla].”
Campbell received a compulsory title shot in September 2017 and traveled to Inglewood, California, the place he misplaced to then-champion Jorge Linares. Now Campbell has a second title alternative in opposition to an much more formidable foe.
“I do know I’ve received an enormous job to do, but when combating the No.1 [boxer] on the planet would not inspire you, then I do not know what’s going to,” Campbell mentioned.
That is your Ringside Seat for the combat:
Lomachenko’s quest for historical past
1:24
Vasiliy Lomachenko is worked up to combat in London and expects Luke Campbell to be one of many hardest challenges but. For extra Prime Rank Boxing, join right here for ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/.
Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KOs), 31, of Ukraine, has already made a mountain of boxing historical past, going 396-1 — avenging the loss twice — and claiming Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 as maybe the best beginner of all time.
As a professional, he has gained world titles in three divisions (featherweight, junior light-weight and light-weight) and continued to assault the report guide. He set the report for fewest fights wanted to win a world title (three, a tie), fewest wanted to win a title in two divisions (seven), fewest wanted to win a title in three divisions (12) after which he unified light-weight titles in his 13th combat by lopsided resolution over Jose Pedraza in December.
Lomachenko-Campbell odds (as of Aug. 29)
FighterOddsLomachenko-2000Campbell+1000 (underdog)–Courtesy Caesars Palace Las Vegas
Of his 14 professional fights, 13 have been world title bouts, together with a sixth-round stoppage win over Guillermo Rigondeaux in a 2017 junior light-weight title protection in the one combat ever between two-time Olympic gold-medal winners.
If there is a report available, Lomachenko needs to set it. He has been pushed by making historical past because the day he turned professional. The one factor that eluded Lomachenko at featherweight and junior light-weight was the chance to unify titles.
Whereas Lomachenko has unified two belts at light-weight and might add a 3rd by defeating Campbell, what he needs most is all 4 titles.
“This brings me one step nearer to my primary purpose of getting all of the belts,” Lomachenko mentioned. “I need [to unify] all the titles. That’s my subsequent purpose in boxing. I’ve gained titles in three weight classes, however I by no means gained all 4 belts in a division. So, for me, Campbell is an important identify as I write my boxing historical past.
“Once I turned professional, I needed to win a world title instantly, and I tied a report by successful a world title in my third combat. Now, I wish to make a special [type of] historical past. Only a few fighters have gained all 4 titles. It will imply rather a lot for me to perform this.”
Solely seven fighters have turn into undisputed champions within the four-belt period — 4 males and three ladies. The boys embody cruiserweight Oleksandr Usyk (2018), junior welterweight Terrence Crawford (2017) and middleweights Jermain Taylor (2005) and Bernard Hopkins (2004). On the ladies’s facet, they’re light-weight Katie Taylor (2019), middleweight Claressa Shields (2019) and welterweight Cecilia Braekhus (2014).
The desk is ready for Lomachenko to get the chance to turn into No. eight. If he wins Saturday, his subsequent bout is meant to be for the undisputed crown within the first half of 2020 in opposition to the winner of the combat between titleholder Richard Commey and obligatory challenger Teofimo Lopez Jr., who’re more likely to combat on Dec. 14 for the IBF world title.
However there isn’t any undisputed combat and not using a victory in opposition to the 31-year-old Campbell (20-2, 16 KOs).
One other alternative for Campbell
zero:43
Andre Ward breaks down whether or not Luke Campbell can pull off the upset in opposition to Vasiliy Lomachenko.
When Campbell challenged Linares for the title, he received knocked down and misplaced a cut up resolution in an total good efficiency. Linares would go on to lose the title by 10th-round knockout to Lomachenko two fights later in Might 2018.
2 Associated
Campbell has gained three fights in a row since dropping to Linares to place himself again within the title hunt as a compulsory challenger, and he’ll face in Lomachenko the hardest opponent he might probably combat at 135 kilos.
“I’ve by no means shied away from a problem,” Campbell mentioned. “It is a massive one, however it’s the kind of problem I practice and put together for day by day. I consider that is the 2 finest lightweights within the division which might be dancing off and this brings the whole lot to the desk — energy, pace, skill. This combat has the whole lot.
“We all know how good he’s from a younger age, however I by no means actually thought we might be dealing with off. We set our targets and one is to have the titles. Once I was younger, my father at all times mentioned to me, ‘You are going to be Olympic champion,’ and I by no means believed him. He additionally mentioned within the professional sport that I’ll maintain all of the belts, and I lastly now consider him.”
He should undergo Lomachenko, a person he mentioned he very a lot respects.
“Lomachenko is a category act. He is a brilliant fighter,” Campbell mentioned. ” I am nicely conscious of how good he’s and what he’s able to doing, however I am additionally nicely conscious of what I can do and what I will do.
“My straight-up prediction is that I win. Whether or not that is by knockout or on factors, I win this combat.”
London calling
1:52
Luke Campbell says he should concentrate on himself reasonably than Vasiliy Lomachenko forward of their title combat in London. For extra Prime Rank Boxing, join right here for ESPN+ https://plus.espn.com/.
On the 2012 Olympics in London, Lomachenko gained the gold medal at light-weight and Campbell did the identical at bantamweight. Lomachenko mentioned he remembers seeing Campbell field on the Olympics and being impressed.
Lomachenko additionally boxed in London throughout his stint within the World Collection of Boxing following the Olympics and mentioned he has needed to combat there as knowledgeable. When the chance to journey to Campbell’s yard for Saturday’s combat got here up, Lomachenko didn’t hesitate.
“It is a pleasure to combat within the U.Okay.,” Lomachenko mentioned. “The British followers are particular followers. They perceive boxing and that’s the reason I’m excited to combat right here. I’ve fought in Britain 3 times earlier than and I cherished it.
“Combating on the O2 is an enormous likelihood for me to introduce myself to the British followers. There’s a particular environment on the O2 as a result of the followers love boxing. I can not wait and I’m excited. I wish to try to really feel the second and the emotion from the followers. It is a massive reminiscence for me. It was my second Olympic Video games, my second gold medal. I had the time to see town of London and I appreciated it. I’ve reminiscence.”
Since his arrival earlier this week in London, he has been mobbed by followers, who chanted “Loma! Loma!” on the open exercise on Wednesday. Although he is on Campbell’s turf, Lomachenko has been embraced in England.
“I’ve needed to combat in London ever since I turned professional. The followers respect my boxing fashion, and each time I’ve come right here, they make me really feel appreciated,” Lomachenko mentioned. “Campbell is from the U.Okay., however I really feel very comfy.”
Campbell is sort of excited to get his second title shot at house after touring midway all over the world to combat Linares.
“It makes an enormous distinction being nearer to house and with the ability to go house each weekend and see my children, watch my children develop up and play soccer on the weekend,” Campbell mentioned. “I am solely three hours down the street, so in the event that they ever want me, I am there. It is exhausting when it’s a must to go away your loved ones, however it’s a must to make sacrifices.”
When Campbell will get within the ring, he’ll see someone fairly acquainted with his work in referee Victor Loughlin, who has labored as both a referee or choose on seven earlier Campbell bouts.
By the numbers
ESPN Stats and Info
Lomachenko: No. 1-ranked light-weight and No. 1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter by ESPN.
Lomachenko: Is a -2000 favourite, in accordance with Caesars Sportsbook; fourth straight combat he pays -2000 or much less to win.
Lomachenko: 12-fight win streak relationship again to June 2014; has stopped 9 of his previous 10 opponents.
Lomachenko: Has the very best plus/minus (+18) amongst energetic CompuBox-tracked fighters and the very best since Floyd Mayweather (+24.7).
Lomachenko: Opponents land 17.2% of punches in opposition to him, in accordance with CompuBox (second-lowest amongst CompuBox-tracked fighters).
Campbell: In search of to turn into first unified light-weight champion from the U.Okay. since Ken Buchanan in 1972 (seventh to carry at the least a share of the division title).
Campbell: U.Okay. fighters have gained six of the previous seven primary occasions in London’s O2 Area vs. non-U.Okay. fighters.
Campbell: In search of to turn into ninth present titleholder from the U.Okay.
Campbell: 48.eight% of his landed punches are to the physique (CompuBox common is 29%).
Campbell: 10.2 of his 12.7 landed punches per spherical are energy photographs, in accordance with CompuBox.