Don?t be fooled by the fact Vasiliy Lomachenko is a massive betting favorite vs. Jorge Linares on Saturday night. Don?t worry that Lomachenko is -1400 and that Linares is a +750 underdog. The fact is Lomachenko is, in my eyes, the best fighter in the world, and he?s moving up in weight to take on the acknowledged lightweight champion.
?I always want a challenge?always,? Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KOs) said, via CBS Sports. ?At 130 [pounds], we can’t organize a top fight with a champion. Then, my promoter asked me about if I want to move to 135 against Jorge Linares? After two seconds I said, ?Of course I can. I can and I am ready.??
Linares might not be a top-10 pound for pound fighter, but, as many boxers who are picking him to upset Lomachenko acknowledge, Linares has plenty of skills that could threaten Lomachenko.
There are a number of reasons to watch the Lomachenko-Linares fight on ESPN (8 p.m. ET). Here are three of them.
1)You never want to miss a chance to catch Lomachenko: He?s perhaps the greatest amateur of all-time, and he?s fully transitioned into becoming an elite professional. He?s beaten some of the best lighter-weight fighters in the world (Gary Russell Jr., Nicholas Walters and Guillermo Rigondeaux), and his foot movement is absolutely something to behold. Here?s a breakdown on he uses footwork and his gloves to cause confusion for his opponents.
2)Jorge Linares has decided he has plenty of heart: Lomachenko has made his last four opponents (Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga and Rigondeaux) quit midway through their fights. That?s because Lomachenko?s never-ending barrage of punches were too much to bear?considering Walters and Rigondeaux are world-class fighters, that?s a fantastic accomplishment for Lomachenko. But Linares said he won?t be No. 5, because he has too much heart to quit. ?Maybe they are cold-minded and they quit. I didn’t prepare myself for that. That’s not who I am,? Linares said, via the BBC. ?? I am ready to go 15 rounds if that is what it takes, and one thing I know for sure, I am not quitting.?
3)If Lomachenko wins, he might get an expensive reward: According to the Los Angeles Times, Lomachenko could face Manny Pacquiao?a man, who at this advanced age of 39, could be an easier fight than Linares and one that could make Lomachenko much richer. Lomachenko would likely have to move up in weight again to 140 pounds, but that risk could be well rewarded. ?The life of a boxing athlete is short, so I don’t have time to waste, or time to take tune-up fights or whatever,? Lomachenko said. ?I want the best, and to get the most out of my short boxing career by fighting the best I can.? Pacquiao, though, would have to beat Lucas Matthysse in July for a match with Lomachenko to occur in the fall.
Is Mayweather about to lose his best fighter?: Gervonta Davis, a junior lightweight titlist who is considered one of the most exciting younger fighters in the sport, apparently is upset with his promoter, Floyd Mayweather. Davis sent these tweets this week to reveal his displeasure.
Why everything I do this man want to tell Al everything, I buy something he wanna tell…I do something in my personal life he wanna tell..but don?t support me when I fight! SMH
? Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) May 7, 2018
Take pics of my tags to see where I get my car from and see how much I paid for it and everything
? Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) May 7, 2018
I?m under someone that just don?t want to see me win
? Gervonta Davis (@Gervontaa) May 7, 2018
The assumption is that Davis is writing about Mayweather talking to manager Al Haymon about Davis? spending habits (Mayweather also apparently didn?t attend Davis? last fight when he stopped Jesus Cuellar last month).
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, had a different take on the matter.
?Gervonta Davis is a tremendous fighter and he’s doing his job, but Floyd Mayweather is doing his job too,? Ellerbe told Fighthype.com. ?Gervonta wouldn’t be a two-time world champion this early in his career if it wasn’t for Floyd. The promoter, the manager, the trainer, his entire team, everybody is working together for the same goal, but every opportunity that Gervonta Davis has gotten with Mayweather Promotions, that’s because of Floyd Mayweather.?
Gennady Golovkin?s HBO ratings: HBO?s most important boxer proved once again why he is exactly that. Forced to fight on HBO vs. Vanes Martirosyan instead of on PPV vs. Canelo Alvarez, Golovkin knocked out Martirosyan in the second round last week. And plenty of people watched.
.@GGGBoxing brings the ratings, that’s for sure. Via Nielsen Media research, Golovkin-Martirosyan averaged 1.249 mil viewers w/ a peak of 1.361 mil for HBO last Saturday. Best HBO ratings since April 2016 (Golovkin vs. Wade).
? Josh Katzowitz (@joshkatzowitz) May 8, 2018
ALSO, the first women’s match on HBO ever (Braekhus vs. Reis) averaged 904,000 viewers and peaked at 1.024 million. HBO has to be ecstatic about that, as well.
? Josh Katzowitz (@joshkatzowitz) May 8, 2018
It was also the most-watched boxing card on regular or premium cable this year.
