The criteria for being considered the pound-for-pound king in boxing should be based on resume and skills. If a fighter doesn?t stand head and shoulders above the competition in both categories, he shouldn?t be considered the best fighter in the sport.
That said, there are fighters whose skill level is so impressive, they deserve consideration even though their list of opponents is a short one.
On Saturday in New York, Vasyl ?Hi Tech? Lomachenko (6-1, 4 KO) won the WBO super featherweight title when he scored the KO of the Year thus far over Roman ? Rocky? Martinez. The stoppage occurred in the fifth round, but Lomachenko had been dominating the veteran champion the entire bout.
You won?t find a more devastating two-punch combination:
The KO was universally impressive. Ring Magazine vaulted Lomachenko to seventh on their pound-for-pound list and Boxing Scene has him fifth. It?s safe to assume, the only thing that keeps Lomachenko from being higher on those two?or any other p4p lists?is more fights.
Roman ?Chocolatito? Gonzalez is 45-0 with 38 KO. He?s been an absolute beast. That?s why he?s atop Ring, Boxing Scene and other p4p lists, but is he really a better fighter than Lomachenko, or simply more accomplished? Recommended by Forbes Most Popular Photos: 32 Best Father’s Day Gifts From Shark Tank Trending on Facebook Exclusive: How AMD’s ‘The Uprising’ Ad Campaign Will Incite A Radeon Rebel…
Speed, instincts, stamina, accuracy and power are all qualities Lomachenko possess. Despite the fact that he?s had just seven professional fights, there isn?t one fighter in his weight region (125-135 pounds) that I would expect to defeat him. Obviously, anything can happen in boxing, but a Lomachenko loss to anyone in that range would have to be considered an upset.
Guillermo Rigondeaux is currently the WBA Super World super bantamweight champion (that?s a lot of supers).
LAS VEGAS, NV ? NOVEMBER 20: Guillermo Rigondeaux poses on the scale for his Super Bantamweight bout against Drian Francisco on November 21 in Las Vegas. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
He and Lomachenko would be an excellent duel, but Rigonedeaux?s current division stops at 122 pounds. If the skilled Cuban announced he was moving up to 130 pounds to face Lomachenko, that might change my tune on Lomachenko?s superiority over realistic opponents.
As it stands, the 28-year-old Ukrainian is as dominant in his weight region as anyone else in the sport is in theirs.
On the surface, his 6-1 record isn?t all that impressive. However, if you consider the caliber of fighters he?s faced, like Birdman, you should be prompted to ?put some respeck? on Lomachenko?s name.
Aside from destroying Martinez, Lomachenko handed the ultra-talented Gary Russell Jr. his only loss. He was also the only man to stop the rugged Romulo Koasicha and Gamalier Rodriguez.
Lomachenko?s only loss was a split decision defeat to former WBO champion Orlando Salido. That was only Lomachenko?s second pro fight and while he was outboxed and out foxed in the early rounds, Hi Tech came on to make things interesting in the final three frames.
Most believe, had the bout been 15 rounds, Lomachenko would have won.
Lomachenko hasn?t put that fight behind him totally. He wants a rematch with the Mexican veteran?who was in attendance?after the Martinez bout was over:
As good as Lomachenko has looked, it?s still too early to crown him as the P4P King. Somehow, with his skill level, appetite for competition and ideal age, it seems as if it?s only a matter of time before he takes the throne.
I?ll meet you back here after three or four fights. Barring something totally unforeseen, Lomachenko will more than likely have removed all doubt by then.
