When a fighter is pushed to the extreme and shoved down one?s throat as modern day greatness on a scale with the all-time greats, there?s a tendency to push back?at least for the punk rock iconoclast writing this piece.
Not too long ago, I admitted being a bit too harsh when it comes to Vasiliy Lomachenko in a piece written for my other gig at FightHype.com:
?…it?s hard not to bristle at a man, just barely into double-digit wins, being mentioned alongside names like Henry Armstrong and Roy Jones. It?s also tough not to punch back at an onslaught of ?he?s the greatest? talking points and ?he?s the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world? nonsense from media and fans when you see earnest and honest American fighters in need of support, languishing in relative obscurity, victims of indifference.
But none of that is Lomachenko?s fault.
And while it?s true that Lomachenko has never been an underdog and hasn?t beaten anyone he wasn?t supposed to beat, the same could be said for a lot of boxing?s top fighters these days. Actually, none of Ring Magazine?s top five pound-for-pound fighters have accomplished that feat?
However, fighting Orlando Salido and Gary Russell Jr. in your second and third fights as a pro is deserving of some serious boxing street cred. Dominant wins over Nicholas Walters and Roman Martinez are also nothing to be brushed aside. Even forcing a ?No Mas? from an undersized and deeply disadvantaged Guillermo Rigondeaux carries some weight. Mind you, this is not an overwhelming body of work around which his well-crafted legend is built?especially since he actually lost to Salido?but it is worthy of legitimate respect as something ?real.??
So, here?s another ?let?s make up? hug for Vasiliy and another acknowledged hash mark in the ?Magno is a contrarian asshole? column.
But, having said all of the above, I would be remiss in not mentioning that last Saturday night, in a lightweight title unification tilt against Jose Pedraza, Lomachenko looked more man than superman. And this is the second straight fight where Lomachenko didn?t really look like LOMACHENKO.
Pedraza?who fought a good fight, placing his punches well and nullifying much of Lomachenko?s magic-through-movement with a keen sense of anticipation and his own use of off-putting angles?had a lot to do with Lomachenko not shining as brightly as he usually does. Similarly, Jorge Linares? skill and ring IQ stifled much of the two-time Olympic gold medalist?s virtuoso ability in May, when the Ukrainian made his lightweight debut.
But there?s a bigger reason behind Lomachenko?s ?fall? from superhuman brilliance to ?mere? mastery?He?s not really a lightweight.
Sure, he may have defeated two high-end lightweights in his last two bouts and has two world title straps to show for it, but the man is clearly not a ?real? lightweight, at least not when stacked up to the other high-end 135-pounders, who tend to be temporary 135-pounders bound for the bigger money divisions of junior welterweight and welterweight. Against Pedraza and Linares, specifically, it was clear that he was a solidified small man placed against naturally larger boxers. Lomachenko succeeding at back-to-back bouts at 135 is a testament to his own ability and hard-to-decipher style.
And here?s another kiss from the iconoclast blown Vasiliy?s way.
It?s a benchmark of true boxing greatness to push for success beyond the point where pure physicality and strength is the major contributing factor. In other words?a ?real? great pursues challenges, even if those challenges deeply cut into the advantages he likes to enjoy.
Rather than languishing in an already-conquered division, collecting paychecks for no-hope manslaughter, Lomachenko moved up, gave up a bit of an edge, and took a risk. Unlike Gennady Golovkin?and, nope, I won?t be issuing an online mea culpa about lashing out at Triple G?s BS hype wagon?who was happy to pound tailor-made opposition into tomato can pulp at a dead-end 160 while whining about those unwilling to meet his challenge, Lomachenko chased after greatness and didn?t settle on waiting for a paycheck.
And like most fighters chasing greatness, Lomachenko will eventually push himself too far and be blasted back to earth. If he?s ever convinced to climb to junior welter, for example, he may be humbled against quick, strong, and hungry young lions like Regis Prograis and Josh Taylor.
In the meantime, let?s give credit where credit?s due and acknowledge the fact that if Lomachenko?s not as otherworldly brilliant as he once was at 126, it?s only because he?s hobbled himself to pursue bigger, better challenges.
