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Philippines, 13 Mar 2025 |
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Pacquiao Amidst Boxing Revisionism By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Wed, 18 Sep 2019  As expected, Ukrainian boxing sensation Vasiliy Lomachenko won in dominating fashion in defeating UK's Luke Campbell to come just one title away from unifying the lightweight crown. That feat has never been accomplished since the time of Alexis Arguello back in the early 1980s when there was just two major boxing bodies, the WBC and the WBA. Lomachenko swept almost all of the rounds, even flooring the Briton in one round and had him on the verge of knockout in another as he pounded out a 12 round unanimous decision in their main event fight held at the O2 Arena in London. Lomachenko thus added the WBC belt vacated by Mickey Garcia to his WBA and WBO belts. He has now set his eyes on the winner of the forthcoming fight between IBF defending champion Richard Commey of Ghana and American challenger Teofimo Lopez for the last remaining piece of the world lightweight jewel. That victory, despite being a foregone conclusion as far as every boxing Tom, Dick and Harry was concerned, still sent many fans and experts into a frenzy of praise for Lomachenko, some proclaiming him as the best lightweight fighter ever and some swearing that the Ukrainian is one of the greatest fighters of all time. At the center of this Loma-mania is the Ring Magazine, the self-professed bible of boxing which has the Ukrainian boxing wizard also known as "The Matrix" perched atop its pound for pound totem pole. This Loma worship has now gone to the extent of boxing history revisionism that tends not only to warp but also downgrade the feats and accomplishments of past and even contemporary greats including Manny Pacquiao. The very installation of Lomachenko at the top of the pound for pound list of the Ring (and most other media based rating organizations) and the questionable ouster of Pacquiao following his loss to Jeff Horn in 2017 and his recent re- insertion at the bottom of the list, at number ten, are by themselves already clear harbingers of historical revisionism as encouraged by that influential American publication. But the latest claims and theories being circulated by Loma nuthuggers in the USA have really hit the height of boxing apostasy. Lomachenko as the best fighter ever at 126-130 lbs and without any controversy, one of the greatest ever to lace a pair gloves? Lomachenko's current drive to unify all belts at lightweight is better than winning world titles in many weight classes? Oh come on. Who did Lomachenko fought and defeated at featherweight? Negro Ramirez. Gary Russell. Nicholas Walter. Never mind Ramirez. The main claim to fame of Russell was his title TKO win over Jhonny Gonzalez. Gonzalez had been stopped before including by our Gerry Penalosa, remember? Walters gained fame by stopping blownup bantam Nonito Donaire but where is he now? And oh before I forget, Loma got beat by Orlando Salido who was beaten, among others by Juan Manuel Marquez previously. Who did Pacquiao faced and beat at featherweight? Let me just cite two: Marco Antonio Barrera at his debut at 126 and Juan Manuel Marquez. He beat Barrera to a pulp and drew with Juan Ma but only after flooring him three times in just one round, the very first round. I rest my case. Who did Loma fought and beat at junior lightweight? Rocky Martinez. Miguel Marriaga. Guillermo Rigondeaux. Never mind Marriaga, he was beaten before by Walters at 126. Martinez has been beaten previously by Mikey Garcia, among others. Rigondeaux has not fought above 122 before and Loma forced him to fight at 130. Who did Manny fight and beat at 130? He fought Erik Morales and lost to him on points in his debut at that weight but kayoed Morales in their next two bouts. He met Barrera again and beat him by wide decision. He beat Marquez, decking him once, on split decision and captured his WBC title. I rest my case. Who has Loma fought and defeated in his current run at lightweight? Jorge Linares. Jose Pedraza, Anthony Crolla. Luke Campbell. Loma won his first title at 135 by TKO over Linares but he was decked once by the Venezuelan. Linares was previously stopped a few times before prominently by Juan Salgado and Hector Thompson in succession at that. He was recently poleaxed inside one round by Pablo Cesar Cano who was stopped by Erik Morales a few years back. Pedraza was stopped by American Gervonta 'Tank' Davis before he won a share of the lightweight title. He lost his title by fighting UD to Loma. Crolla and Campbell had both lost narrowly to Linares before they faced Loma. But what gave the promoter the idea that they could do better than Linares against Loma? Pacquiao had just one fight at lightweight, a WBC title winning KO of David Diaz who had previously beaten Morales. It was just a cursory stop at 135. But that was enough to prompt Oscar de la Hoya to challenge him to a catchweight fight at 147. We all knew what happened to Oscar in that fight. And to Ricky Hatton as well as Miguel Cotto against a blownup lightweight Manny Pacquiao. I rest my case. I need not venture to any lengthy discussion about the merits of Loma vis a vis Manny as one of the greatest fighters ever. NO MATCH. Enough said. I will not dignify that claim of unifying titles in one division as superior than winning world titles in as many weight divisions with even a word for retort. The author Teodoro Medina?Reynoso?is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines.?? He can be reached at?teddyreynoso@yahoo.com?and by phone 09215309477. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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