LOS ANGELES (May 30, 2018) – Vasiliy Lomachenko underwent arthroscopic surgery Wednesday morning at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder suffered during the second round of his May 12 bout against Jorge Linares. The surgery, performed by world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, will preclude Lomachenko from fighting Aug. 25 as originally scheduled. Lomachenko will begin the recovery process immediately and is hopeful that he will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) and Ring Magazine lightweight titles before the end of the year.

Said Dr. ElAttrache: “Vasiliy had the anticipated injuries in his right shoulder, resulting from a dislocation event that he sustained during his fight on May 12. In particular, he had an extensive labral tear, approximately 270 degrees with a small amount of cartilage damage and a bone impaction injury, all resulting in instability of the shoulder. He underwent an arthroscopic repair of the labrum as anticipated with no complications. Based on the result of the surgical repair, we are optimistic for an excellent prognosis and for him to return to competition at his previous level of performance.”

Vasyl Lomachenko is set for surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder that he suffered in his bout against Jorge Linares, accrding to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I couldn’t use my right arm to throw my right hook, and it was very uncomfortable to continue my fight,” said Lomachenko, speaking to ESPN immediately following his examination by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles.

“None of these things are carved in stone,” ElAttrache said. “The most important thing is to protect him and allow this to heal properly. With what I’m seeing now that’s the timetable if things go perfectly.”

“The shoulder popped out and then popped back in so he was able to finish the fight, but when he went back home it was hurting him and so he got an MRI in the Ukraine, and it showed the tear,” promoter Bob Arum said. “He was making arrangements to take care of it over there and that’s when Egis (Klimas) and myself said you have to come here [to Los Angeles] and have Dr. ElAttrache look at you and do the operation.”

“Every once in a while when he would spar, he’d have pain in the shoulder but then he’d ice it and then there’d be no problem,” Arum said. “But this time it was different with the pain he was having in the fight and after the fight. So, obviously, Aug. 25 is out for his next fight and we’re looking at Dec. 8. If the shoulder doesn’t come around in time we’ll have to postpone it, but we’re looking at him being ready to go Dec. 8. But we know there are no guarantees.”

Vasyl Lomachenko will vacate his WBO 130 lb championship and keep the WBA Lightweight title, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I am writing you on behalf of Team Lomachenko. As you are well aware on May 12 Vasiliy moved up in weight to challenge WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares,” Top Rank’s Carl Moretti wrote to WBP President Paco Valcarcel.. “As you saw, he was successful in capturing the lightweight title. Vasiliy wishes to continue to campaign in the lightweight division. Therefore, we respectfully relinquish our WBO junior lightweight title so that an opportunity may be given to the ranked contenders to compete for the vacant belt.

“Paco, we are so grateful to you and the WBO family for affording us the privilege of being a WBO world champion from the start of his career. We hope in the near future we will once again be afforded the chance to fight for another championship with the WBO. As always, we thank you for your continued support and friendship.”

“Lomachenko will not go on Aug. 25, but it’s still possible that his next fight will be a unification with Ray,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum said, adding that after a trip home to Ukraine following the victory against Linares that Lomachenko would return to Southern California on Monday night and will meet with him and manager Egis Klimas next week to discuss his future plans.

“Loma is going to stay at 135 pounds because we believe there are bigger fights and much better competition in that weight class,” Klimas told ESPN. “We’ve been talking about the next fight and maybe unifying with the titles with Beltran but everything is up in the air.”

 

By Jimmy Tobin-

When Ukranian Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko entered the ring at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night he did so as a nearly -1400 betting favorite. Those odds, near criminal, were soon rendered absurd. Across the ring, Venezuela’s Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares stood at the pinnacle of his career. For years Linares had traversed the globe, refurbishing himself, grinding his way back to relevance after a pair of brutal stoppages nearly extinguished him. Linares fought on this and that opponent’s turf, off television, away from the bright lights he was supposed to occupy fixedly nearly a decade ago—all this to stand cornered in what looked very much like a cashout well-earned.

He met the end those odds predicted, did Linares, but not in the manner they implied. Linares was subducted by Lomachenko, like the ocean’s crust rolled over by its continental counterpoint, and the result of their collision was fittingly volcanic. Lomachenko and Linares produced as compelling a prizefight as the year is likely to offer, one whose finish, sudden and satisfying, was both apropos and unexpected. In the tenth, Lomachenko shanked Linares with a left hook best discerned by the agony in its aftermath. Try as he might, Linares could not beat the count; unable to straighten himself, the fight ended with him stuck in a bow, a gesture he had every right to take.

You have what you wanted now, don’t you? You who have long wanted to see Lomachenko challenged, who have gnashed your teeth and cramped your thumbs fighting against the “Hi-Tech” hyperbole. Because Lomachenko looked appreciably human against Linares. Those confounding angles of his? Linares had an answer for them, mirroring Lomachenko’s pivots and firing straight shots as soon as he set his feet. The volume, those cascades of punches both throwaway and evil that Lomachenko uses to plague and punish? Linares met them in kind, knowing—as any opponent must—that Lomachenko’s chin cannot securely be hidden in such activity, and daring—as few opponents do—to find it.

Linares tagged Lomachenko with some consistency, but never more cleanly than he did in the sixth, when his right hand speared an arrogantly lackadaisical Lomachenko square in the face and spilled him for the first time in his professional career.

And it was here that you too got what you wanted, didn’t you? You who have bided your time while Lomachenko dismissed opponents uninspiring and outgunned, while you waited for him to prove himself deserving of the present if not historical—or mythical—accolades those paid to fawn over him have shoveled tirelessly. He earned enough of those Saturday to stop wondering about his grit, his champion’s comportment. Lomachenko is a fighter; it took three divisions and a significant size disadvantage to prove it—it also only took twelve fights.

Because there is nothing Lomachenko failed to deliver Saturday night. If you thought Linares hit him too frequently, too hard, then you are forced to concede that Lomachenko can take a lightweight punch. If you saw him slip, parry, roll with many of the punches Linares was credited for landing, well, all the better. Did you wonder how he would react when hurt? Linares showed you in the sixth—because Lomachenko was indeed hurt by that right hand, evidenced both by how uncharacteristically hurried he was in proving otherwise and how he fought the seventh.

He learned from it too, acknowledging his miscalculation afterward: “I knew about this punch, but I thought I already did what I needed to do. I was wrong and he caught me,” before adding, “He’s [Linares] a great fighter and he gave me one more lesson in boxing.” Post-lesson, Lomachenko adjusted his range and took the fight inside to first unseam and then hepatectomize his most dangerous opponent yet.

Was Saturday not confirmation of Lomachenko’s championship mettle? Is not getting up from a knockdown to win by stoppage what champions do? And would you not rather a fighter get caught for his pursuit of the knockout, than have him skirt the perimeter of peril, eschewing drama for dominance and the excuses such (even artful) preservation demands of a man who fights for a living?

The fight was reminiscent of last year’s rumble between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko, where the victor’s vulnerability served primarily to further ratify him, and the loser, through his valiance, his agency in that ratification, earned greater accolades than he had garnered in any victory; where we learned the winner is not flawless, no, but that he is something better: a fighter who will calibrate his performance to the stakes, and in doing show why boxing, at its finest, knows no rival.

That does not make Lomachenko a historically great fighter (yet), and anyone with the time and interest could find a way to begrime his winning titles in three divisions quicker than any fighter in history. Such is the nature of boxing, such is the nature of its fans. The talk, spouted by manager Egis Klimas, of Lomachenko moving to junior welterweight should be tempered for now, especially considering the qualifier Klimas offered for the move: that Lomachenko won’t be at his best until he is challenged. Linares provided that challenge, teaching Lomachenko the perils of physics (that moving up in weight inevitably brings a fighter closer to his ceiling). Mikey Garcia could deliver that message with greater force, and so long as both Lomachenko and Garcia prowl the lightweight division both have unfinished business there—and both twiddle their thumbs with any other opponent.

But for perhaps the first time since his third bout, when he dismantled Gary Russell Jr., the answer to the question of what we want from Lomachenko is “more of the same.” This column once remarked of Lomachenko that he is a fighter who “in the minds of aficionados live primarily in the future.” Saturday the future arrived.

By Bart Barry-

Ukrainian prizefighter Vasyl Lomachenko and his promoter Top Rank accomplished something pretty extraordinary Saturday when Lomachenko stopped lightweight champion Jorge Linares with a liver shot in the 10th round of a primetime ESPN match at Madison Square Garden. They justified a mountainous pile of euphoric forecasting and premature acclaim so high as to appear unjustifiable. Top Rank did this by putting its star in a fight he could lose – scorecards were a split draw after nine rounds – and Lomachenko did this by riding the moment to a transcendent version of himself.

In one punch Lomachenko indicted most of our current era’s best fighters but especially what prizefighter The Ring currently ranks world’s best. That punch was one Lomachenko took, too, from the middle knuckle of Linares’ right fist square on his pretty nose. It was a punch only a larger champion might deliver a fighter of Lomachenko’s talent and craft. It showed, in one moment at midfight, how much margin-for-error disappears when a man’s courage and ambition command him fight progressively larger men. And it showed the Gennady Golovkin reign for the fraud it has been.

I leaped from my seat and cried at my elderly Mexican companion, “¡Ya, vamos a ver que realmente es (now we’re going to see what he really is)! ¡Ya, vamos a ver!” It was a moment both feral and euphoric – finally a favored, celebrated fighter (other than Roman Gonzalez) in a nationally televised fight intentionally challenging himself enough to be dropped. Finally!

Lomachenko rose too quickly, his pride damaged much as his balance, but got through the round abetted in part by Linares’ hesitation – for which Lomachenko deserved much credit as Linares’ previous vanquishers. Lomachenko fought from that moment forward like he was in a fight, not a danceoff or freestyle floor routine. He surpassed himself, too, he accomplished what he’d taken on faith to that point: If circumstances render my routine inadequate, I will respond creatively and it will be glorious. It was.

He finished Linares with boxing’s version of a southpaw encryption key: 2-2-3-1-6-1-6-3-1-4: cross, cross, hook, jab, left uppercut, jab, up-jab, left uppercut, hook, jab, left hook. What should Linares have done differently? Who the hell knows? None of that can be trained for because there’s no history of it. Lomachenko himself did not expect the combination; his left hook to Linares’ body (when the palm faces up, it’s not a cross, whatever latterday purists may tell you) was the first punch in a threestrike combo Lomachenko raced past Linares’ collapsing form. Lomachenko observed Linares on the canvas and pumped his fist with the realization he’d touched the button, inaccessible usually to a southpaw, and Linares couldn’t possibly be conditioned enough to recuperate from it in the 10th round. He wasn’t. Linares didn’t beat the count so much as get unwilted by referee Ricky Gonzalez’s helping him to his feet.

Lomachenko justified the anticipatory hype about him Saturday in a way few modern athletes do. What usually happens, instead, is television promoters, scripts written by boxing promoters, get themselves in front of each story by calling everything they see greatness – across the dial on Saturday Night Fights, a telecast missing only its Just for Men spots, the names Mike Tyson and Tommy Hearns were invoked in the same minute of a 122-pound comain – cynically certain audiences will forgive decades of hyperbole in the event some athlete actually becomes what telecommentators say every other athlete will be. For it is better to call 100 Danny Jacobses elite than call the next Muhammad Ali only above-average.

Which leads to a few recent thoughts about contemporary television commentary. Watching a series of highlights from Tiger Woods’ round 3 at The Players Championship after reading an interesting essay on metamodernism led me to reconsider the role of live sports commentary and entertain the possibility it is becoming more an expression of sincerity than cynicism. For the last two decades its formula has sounded like: You, dear viewer, wish to believe you are extraordinary and unique and consequently curate only what else is extraordinary and unique, and so allow us to tell you everything you watch on our network is extraordinary and unique. That 6-4-3 doubleplay you just saw? Only the seventh time since 2012 a second baseman of Lithuanian descent has assisted a Dominican-born shortstop in ending a scoreless inning on a Tuesday. Historic!

But now, as a generation of secondstring actors, ironists and models makes its historic way off the world’s stage, congratulating itself on historic journalism, television commentary is infiltrated by something professionally sincere. As in:

We are looking for someone to help promote the Tiger Woods brand by accepting applications from energetic public speakers who know how to cheer like drunks in the gallery do.

Why, I have a degree in communications and I love Tiger – I just didn’t think I could get paid for it. I’m in!

There’s no longer a pretense of objectivity, which is oddly refreshing. It’s a performance that requires energy more than skill. Saturday’s ESPN team rehashed the same story of Lomachenko’s dance classes for at least its 83rd public iteration but did so with a fanatic’s sincerity. As Lomachenko, a southpaw, endeavored to keep his front foot outside his orthodox opponent’s – something you learn in boxing just after jab-cross and before hook – the onus fell upon Timothy Bradley and Mark Kriegel to join this pedestrian thing to the legendmaking decision Lomachenko’s dad took to make his son’s footwork the best in all sport, and Bradley and Kriegel were not cowed by the challenge. Even while the fight was tied Bradley assured us Lomachenko was something never before seen while Kriegel reiterated father-son dynamics once more for whatever male viewers are neither fathers nor sons.

Then Lomachenko did something excellent, and it all felt pretty good.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN won the night for combat sports last night. Not only did the Linares vs. Lomanchenko main event draw a 1.0 metered market rating, making it cable television’s highest-rated fight of 2018, according to Nielsen overnight data, but the entire Top Rank on ESPN telecast was ESPN’s highest-rated Top Rank telecast of the year.

Vasiliy Lomachenko stopped Jorge Linares in the tenth round to win the WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight titles in front of a packed house at Madison Square Garden. A left hand to the body put Linares down for the 10-count.

Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs) is a now a three-weight world champion. With this victory, he has shattered the all-time boxing record for fewest fights needed to win a world title in three weight divisions, accomplishing that in just his 12th fight. Lomachenko broke the record held by Australian legend Jeff Fenech, a Hall of Famer who won world titles at bantamweight and junior featherweight before winning a belt at featherweight in his 20th fight in 1988.

Main Things to Know
Last night’s entire Top Rank on ESPN telecast averaged a 0.8 metered market rating, making it ESPN’s highest-rated Top Rank telecast of 2018
The main event, featuring Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko, averaged a 1.0 metered market rating, making it cable’s television’s highest-rated fight of 2018
The co-feature, featuring Alejandro Barrera vs. Carlos Adames, averaged a 0.7 metered market rating, tying it as the third highest-rated fight on ESPN this year

2018 TOP BOXING OVERNIGHT RATINGS ON CABLE TELEVISION (BY FIGHT)
RANK DATE NETWORK FIGHT MTRD MKT RTG
1 5/12/2018 ESPN LOMACHENKO vs. LINARES 1.0
T-2 5/5/2018 HBO GOLOVKIN vs. MARTIROSYAN 0.9
T-2 4/28/2018 HBO JACOBS vs. SULECKI 0.9
T-4 3/10/2018 ESPN VENCES vs. DE LEON 0.8
T-4 3/3/2018 SHOWTIME WILDER vs. ORTIZ 0.8
T-6 3/10/2018 ESPN VALDEZ vs. QUIGG 0.7
T-6 5/12/2018 ESPN ADAMES vs BARRERA 0.7
T-6 1/27/2018 HBO MATTHYSSE vs. KIRAM 0.7
T-6 5/5/2018 HBO BRAEKHUS vs. REIS 0.7
T-6 3/3/2018 HBO KOVALEV vs. MIKHALKIN 0.7

Main markets tuning in for last night’s event included Norfolk, VA; Los Angeles, Memphis, New Orleans and Columbus, OH. The telecast peaked during the final two quarter hours with a 1.1 metered market rating.

Top Rank on ESPN returns for two big ESPN+-exclusive fights May 26 and June 9. ESPN+ is the recently-launched multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International segment, in partnership with ESPN.

On May 26, two 115-pound talents will take center stage on the first Top Rank on ESPN world championship card on ESPN+. Jerwin ‘Pretty Boy’ Ancajas defends the International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world title against countryman Jonas Sultan and Great Britain’s Kal Yafai will make the third defense of his World Boxing Association (WBA) super flyweight title against David Carmona, both from SaveMart Center in Fresno, CA. The doubleheader will air live exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States. Main event coverage will start at 9:30 p.m. ET, while undercard action will be shown beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

On June 9, Terence “Bud” Crawford faces Jeff “The Hornet” Horn in a battle for the WBO Welterweight World Title from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The live event will air exclusively on ESPN+ in the United States. Crawford-Horn coverage will start at 9:30 p.m. ET, while undercard action will be shown beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The ESPN App and ESPN+ are available on mobile and TV-connected devices and on ESPN.com. The new ESPN App with ESPN+ are available on devices and platforms including Amazon (Fire TV, Fire Stick, Fire Smart TVs, Fire tablets), Android (Android phones, Android TV), Apple (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and supported in the Apple TV App), Chromecast and Roku.

Follow all the action from ringside at Madison Square Garden as Jorge Linares defends the WBA Lightweight title against 2 division world champion and reigning Fighter of The Year Vasyl Lomanchenko.  The action kicks off at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT with a welterweight bout featuring undefeated Carlos Adames taking in Alejandro Barrera

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED.  THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY.

Round 1: Lots of feeling out,,Left from Lomachenko..Right from Linares..Left to body from Lomachenko..Left from Linares..

Round 2 Left from Linares..Hard body shot..3 punch combo from Lomachenko..left on inside..Right from Linares..Body shot..Combination from Lomachenko..

Round 3 Right to body from Linares..Right hook from Lomachenko..Left from Linares..Uppercut from Lomachenko..

Round 4 Combination from Linares…Uooercut from Lomachenko..Right hook from Linares..Right from Linares..Combination from Lomachenko..Uppercut..Straight left..

Round 5 Left to body from Lomachenko..3 punch combination..combination from Linares..Hard jab from Lomachenko..Straight left..Combination finsiged off by a hard right

Round 6 Linares warned for a low blow..rippimh 5 punch combination from Linares..left hook..HUGE COUNTER RIGHT AND DOWN GOES LOMACHENKO

Round 7 Right from Linares..Right hook from Lomachenko..Right from Linares..Combination..Left from Lomachenko

Round 8 Uppercut from Lomachenko…Uppercut and right hook inside..Hard jab..

Round 9 Uppercut from Lomachenko..Hard right from Linares..Right to body..Counter right

Round 10 Body and head shots from Linares..Right hook from Lomachenko..good jab..Right from Linares..BIG COMBINATION..BIDY SHOT..DOWN GOES LINARES…FIGHT OVER

Round 1 Right from Adames..Right from Barrera..Jab..Left drives Barrera Back..hard left.Straight right..

Round 2 Left from Adames..Hard left..Right from Barrera..4 punch combination..Trading body shot..Left to body from Adames..Good right..2 Body shots..right to body from Barrera…Left buckles Barrera…Right

Round 3 Left to body from Barrera..Uppercut..Left to body..Good right from Adames…Good right from Barrera..Left from Adames..Left from Barrera

Round 4 Right from Adames..Flush right..Uppercut..Left to body from Barrera…Hard right from Adames…Good counter right

Round 5 Body work from Adames..2 more body shots..Straight right….Left to body from Barrera..Hard left from Adames..Right to body..1-2 ..Right drives Barrera into ropes..another ripping right

Round 6 Left from Adames..3 punch combination from Barrera..Jab..Adames switching southpaw..

Round 7 Left to body from Adames..Left to body from Adames..Left to body from Barrera..Jab from Adames..Good right from Barrera..Trading body shots on the inside..Combination that is punctuated by a right from Barrera

Round 8 Both are trading heavy shots..Barrera coming forward..Left from Adames..Hard left off the ropes…Right cross..Head combination…Hard right from Barrera

Round 9 Barrera lands 5 shots on the ropes..Good left from Adames..Good counter right..Jab..

Round 10 Left/body-right from Adames..Right from Barrera..Body work from both..Body from Barrera..Counter right..Left and right from Adames..

98-92, 97-93 and 96-94 for ADAMES

NEW YORK, NY–Vasyl Lomachenko captured the WBA Lightweight title with an exciting 10th round stoppage over Jorge Linares at Madison Square Garden

Lomachenko started to get going in round three, as he handspeed and footwork started to take its course.  The right eye of Linares began to swell in round four.  Lomachenko showed a blistering combination to punctuate the 5th.  In round six, Linares landed a huge counter right that sent Lomachenko on the seat of his pants.

Both guys traded winning rounds with Linares getting through with some solid right hands, while Lomachenko’s quick combination punches were the difference tin the frames for which he took.

In round ten, Lomachenko planted a perfect straight left under the rib-cage of Linares and the champion fell to all fours.  Linares did get o his feet, but he was unable to continue at 2:08.

Lomachenko is now a champion in his 3rd weight class as he raises his mark to 11-1 with 9 knockouts.  Linares is now 44-4.

Carlos Adames remained undefeated by winning a ten-round unanimous decision over Alejandro Barrera in a welterweight bout.

It was a solid action fight that saw Adames push the pace and land the heavier blows.

Adames, 149.8 lbs of Santiago, DR won by scores of 98-92, 97-93 and 96-94, and is now 14-0.  Barrera, 149.4 lbs of Monterrey, MX is 27-5.

Michael Conlan remained undefeated with an eight-round unanimous decision over Ibon Larriniga in a featherweight bout.

 

Conlan, 126.8 lbs of Belfast, IRL won by scores of 80-72 on all cards, and is now 7-0.  Larriniga, 126.4 lbs of Bibao, ESP is now 10-2.

Teofimo Lopez needed just 64 seconds to dispose of Vitor Freitas in their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Lopez landed a straight right that buckled and sprawled Freitas under the bottom rope and the fight was called just as Lopez did a standing backflip in the ring.

Lopez, 135.8 lbs of Brooklyn is 9-0 with 7 knockouts.  Freitas, 135.4 lbs of Salvador, BRA is 13-2.

Mikaela Mayer remained undefeated by winning a six-round unanimous decision over Baby Nansen in a lightweight bout.

Mayer, 131.6 lbs of Los Angeles, CA win by shutout scores of 60-54 on all cards, and is now 5-0.  Nansen, 131 lbs of Auckland, NZ is 6-3-1.

Former U.S.  Olympian Jamel Herring stopped Juan Pablo Sanchez in round five of a scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Herring battered Sanchez on the ropes until the bout was stopped at 1:28.

Herring, 132.4 lbs of Coram. NY is 19-2 with 10 knockouts.  Sanchez, 133 lbs of Humimagullo, MX is 29-16.

Fazliddin Gaibnazorv stopped Jesus Silveyra in round four of their scheduled eight-round lightweight bout.

Gainnazorv dropped Silveyra twice in round four, and the bout was stopped at 2:05.

Gaibnazorov, 140.6 lbs of Bakabod, UZB is 4-0 with 2 knockouts.  Selveyra, 141.2 lbs of Monterrey, MX is 8-6-2.

Top Rank Boxing on ESPN returns to the big house at Madison Square Garden, the historic “Mecca of Boxing,” this Saturday, May 12 at 8 p.m. ET live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and the ESPN App. The telecast will feature two bouts, including the most anticipated boxing main event of the year—ESPN.com’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Vasiliy Lomachenko (10-1-0, 8 KO) taking on WBA Lightweight Champion Jorge Linares (44-3-0, 27 KO)—for the world title.

Simultaneous to the fight, ESPNews will air “Around the Ring,” a multi-screen presentation featuring enhanced views of the ring, as well as access to both fighter locker rooms and corner cameras, beginning at 8 pm. ET. All other undercard bouts will be available on ESPN+ within the ESPN App beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET, including rising female prospect Mikaela Mayer and Irish superstar Mick Conlan.

ESPN+ will also stream the weigh-ins for all fights today at 4:45 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will air the weigh-ins for the Co-Feature and Main Event live at 5 p.m.
TOP RANK ON ESPN LINARES VS LOMACHENKO ON ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN+ AND ESPN DEPORTES

Date Time (ET) Network(s) Event/Show
Fri, May 11 4:45 PM ESPN+ Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Undercard/Main Event Weigh-Ins
5 PM – 5:30 PM ESPN2 Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Linares vs. Lomachenko Weigh-In
7 PM – 8 PM ESPN Deportes Semana de Campeones: Linares vs. Lomachenko Weigh-In
8 PM – 8:30 PM ESPNEWS Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Linares vs. Lomachenko Weigh-In (re-air)

Sat, May 12
4:30 PM ESPN+ Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Undercards
7 PM – 8 PM ESPN Deportes Semana de Campeones: Linares vs. Lomachenko Pre-Show
8 PM – 10 PM ESPN
ESPN Deportes
Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Main Event
Carlos Adames vs. Alejandro Barrera
Jorge Linares vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko (WBA Lightweight World Title)
8 PM – 10 PM ESPNEWS Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Around the Ring
Sun, May 13 2 AM – 4 AM ESPN2 Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Main Event (re-air)
Mon, May 14 7 PM – 9 PM ESPN2 Top Rank Boxing on ESPN: Main Event (re-air)

Lomachenko is unbeaten in over the last four years (nine straight victories) and his opponents have retired in his last four fights, failing to answer the bel in the next round. He is attempting to win a world title in his third weight class (former WBO Featherweight and current WBO Junior Lightweight World Champion). Linares is a four-time world champion in three weight classes (former WBC Featherweight, former WBA Junior Lightweight, former WBC Lightweight, and current WBA Lightweight World Champion). Co-promoted by Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Linares is unbeaten in six years with thirteen straight victories. In the TV opener, unbeaten WBA top-5 contender Carlos Adames (13-0-0, 11 KO) takes on Alejandro Barrera (29-4-0, 18 KO) in Junior Middleweight action.
—30—

LONDON (11 May, 2018) – World champion Jorge Linares has promised to “shut up” pound-for-pound ace Vasyl Lomachenko when they meet this Saturday night.

Taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, 32-year-old Linares will be putting his WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight world titles on the line when he faces the superstar Ukrainian, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The showdown has had fans licking their lips since it was first made and now both men are finally set meet this weekend, with Venezuelan hotshot Linares promising to silence Lomachenko in a not to be forgotten clash.

“I’m going to shut him up, plain and simple. I know I have my advantages. I’m the natural lightweight here – he’s coming up. He needs to be ready. I’m going to shut him up. This fight is going to be very interesting. We have to put on a great performance for the fans,” said Linares.

“He knows what he’s in for. He knows that I’m not an ordinary fighter. He knows that I’m bigger, that I’m faster and he has tried to prepare for that. I know what I have to do too. We both have to be at our best.

“I’m not just an ordinary fighter like he’s fought in some cases, where they don’t know how to get out of trouble or use their hand speed or combinations. I know what I have to do to win. It will be a very memorable night,” he said.

Lomachenko is regarded by many as boxing’s very best and a win for Linares would be the icing on the cake following a hard-fought 47 fight career, which has had its ups and downs.

“I went through some tough times, back-to-back losses, a lot of people wrote me off. But hard work and dedication got me back in there. I suffered a lot but was able to get myself up,” said Linares.

“The motivation of fighting the best gets me up in the morning, not only Lomachenko, but that is really motivating me because I’m fighting the best pound-for-pounder in boxing and I want to continue fighting the best,” he said.

30-year-old Lomachenko, a two-weight world champion, despite having had only 11 professional fights, has dominated most of his opponents, often forcing them to quit, says all he is thinking about is the win rather than how it comes about.

“I don’t think about stopping Linares and forcing him to quit. I don’t worry about that or need to do that. I do everything to win the fight and it doesn’t bother me how I win as long as I do win. It doesn’t bother me if I stop him, if he quits or if it’s a judges’ decision – I just want to win,” said Lomachenko.

“Everybody has a chance when they get in the ring but I don’t like the way Linares has been talking ahead of the fight. I’m not scared of anyone and will fight anybody,” he said.

Irish sensation Michael Conlan will also be on the card as he looks to keep on winning in just the seventh fight of his career when he takes on Spaniard Ibon Larrinaga.

Lomachenko v Linares will be live and exclusive on BoxNation from Saturday midnight.

Sky Customer Free Registration Offer: BoxNation subscription is £12 per month with free registration (normally £8) for Sky TV subscribers using offer code: CHAMPIONS.

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) and TV Player for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.427), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), TV Player, online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

By Norm Frauenheim-

Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jorge Linares Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden is an opportunity to reset the table on a year that began amid promise and yet has been muddied by the May 5 cancellation of Gennady Golovkin-Canelo Alvarez and the continuing controversy over when — or if — Canelo will enroll in VADA, the voluntary testing procedure that appears to be fundamental to any chance of reaching an agreement for a rematch in September.

There’s no controversy about Lomachenko-Linares. There’s just intrigue, anticipation and the pound-for-pound argument.

Lomachenko’s bid for a third title at a third weight, 135 pounds, is the first half of a 2018 debate about a further claim on the pound-for-pound’s mythical title. At the end of 2017, Lomachenko, a former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion, held a slight edge in the various polls and among the voters.

But Terence Crawford was always in the hunt. Still is.

Crawford, a former lightweight and junior-welterweight champ, will deliver his bid next month, June 9 at Las Vegas MGM Grand, in his first bout at 147 pounds against Australian Jeff Horn.

Guess here: Both Lomachenko and Crawford will prevail.

The real question rests in who will have looked better in their first fight at a heavier weight.

It’s a debate that figures to continue for a while. Lomachenko and Crawford are the same age. They’re both 30.

Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KOs) possesses an unprecedented array of angles in his variety of punches. For the ringside aficionado, there is a cutting-edge style to what Lomachenko does with his gloved hands.

In Crawford, there’s ruthlessness matched by ambidextrous hands quick to strike from just about anywhere.

Both Top Rank-promoted fighters are fascinating to watch. Take your pick and be prepared to change it over the next few years. They figure to energize the pound-for-pound debate no matter what happens with GGG-Canelo.

Saturday is the opening salvo. Linares (44-3, 27 KOs), the World Boxing Association’s 135-pound belt holder, says he is not fooled by all that has been said about the creatively-dangerous Lomachenko.

“I am going to prove that Lomachenko is not an invincible fighter,’’ Linares said this week during the promotional build-up to the main event on the ESPN-televised card (8 p.m. ET).

Linares, who is an inch taller and has a 3 1/2 -inch advantage in reach, is promising to take Lomachenko into later rounds. But the cutting-edge adjective so often applied to Lomachenko might to be more than just a rhetorical embellishment of what Lomachenko does to Linares. Linares has suffered bad cuts in at least three bouts, including successive losses to Antonio DeMarco and Sergio Thompson in 2011 and 2012. Lomachenko’s many angles can put a real razor-like affect into that cutting edge.

We’ll see.

Then, we’ll see Crawford.

New York City (May 10, 2018) — The fight the boxing world has been waiting for — Jorge Linares defending the WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight titles against former two-division kingpin Vasiliy Lomachenko at Madison Square Garden — is only two days away.

Lomachenko and Linares, along with many of the undercard fighters, met the media one last time on Thursday.

The stacked undercard features welterweight contender Carlos ‘Caballo Bronco’ Adames (13-0, 11 KOs) in his Top Rank debut in a 10-round, ESPN-televised co-feature against Alejandro Barrera (27-4, 17 KOs); Irish sensation Michael Conlan (6-0, 5 KOs) will see action in an eight-round featherweight contest against Ibon Larrinaga (10-1, 2 KOs); Jamel Herring (16-2, 9 KOs) takes on the durable Juan Pablo Sanchez (29-15, 14 KOs) in an eight-round lightweight bout; top lightweight prospect Teofimo Lopez (8-0, 6 KOs) faces veteran Vitor Freitas (13-1, 7 KOs) of Salvador, Brazil, in a scheduled eight-rounder; female boxing sensation Mikaela Mayer (4-0, 3 KOs) will face Baby Nansen (6-2-1, 0 KOs) of Auckland, New Zealand, in a six-round lightweight fight; and 2016 Olympic gold medalist Fazliddin ‘Fayzi’ Gaibnazarov (3-0, 1 KO) returns in a scheduled eight-rounder against Jesus Silveyra (8-5-2, 3 KOs) of Monterrey, Mexico.

Linares vs. Lomachenko and Adames vs. Barrera will be televised live and exclusively at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+, available on the ESPN App, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

This is what the fighters had to say.

Vasiliy Lomachenko

“I want to thank Linares for taking this challenge. Saturday night, it’s going to be a good bout, and we’re going to find out who is the best.”

“The way this bout is going to go… who knows? It’s boxing. It’s going to be a fight, and after that, we’re going to see.”

Jorge Linares

“I’ve been working hard for the last few fights preparing for this fight. I knew Lomachenko wanted it. I wanted it. So I was very confident that Golden Boy, Teiken and Top Rank were going to get it done.”

“The last two opponents I faced were southpaws. Purposely. I was preparing psychologically and physically to fight Vasiliy Lomachenko. I’ve had him on my radar.”

“I believe, and trust me when I say this, the fight is going to get more intense as the rounds go on.”

Bob Arum

“It’s a challenge, but that’s what makes a fighter one of the all-time greats… challenges. {Lomachenko} was great at 126. He devastated everybody at 130. Now, he’s moving up to 135, and people say, ‘Is this a bridge too far?'” And his father {Anatoly}, who is a great trainer says, ‘No this isn’t a bridge too far.’ And we’re going to see on Saturday. That’s what boxing is all about. If there aren’t any challenges, if there aren’t any obstacles, who the hell wants to watch it?”

Carlos Adames

“I know Barrera is a Mexican warrior, but he is going to face a fighter who is ready to do whatever he needs to do to win.”

“I’m expecting the support from my people. I am not just any Dominican fighter. I’m going to fly the flag high and represent my people.”

Alejandro Barrera

“This is a great opportunity for me. This is a great card, and I am ready for whatever he brings.”

Michael Conlan

“I have to thank the fans of New York for always supporting me. My fans always pack the arena every time I fight here.”

“I feel I’m on the right track and moving steadily at the right pace. I prepare for the longer distance, but if it goes short, it goes short.”

Teofimo Lopez

“May 12, I’m going to do what I gotta do to take over. No disrespect to Loma and Linares, but I’m here to take over the show. At the end of the day, I’m here to entertain and put on a show for everyone. I’m going for the knockout. After this fight, my team and I have huge plans.”

“Being on this card with Golden Boy and Top Rank, it’s a blessing. I’m grateful to be here.”

“I know I’m going to win, but I want people to come away from my fights saying they need to watch me again.”

Jamel Herring

“Now that I’m with Top Rank, I have a fresh start. I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring.”

“I just want to have a busy year. That’s why I chose to work with Top Rank because they are doing a lot of great things, especially with the ESPN platform. I just want to stay busy and get a title shot.”

Mikaela Mayer

“This is a huge time for women’s boxing. We always needed big promoters to start signing women. I think that was the first step.”

“Because I am one of the few women boxers in the spotlight, I feel like I have a big responsibility to represent women boxers every time I step in the ring.”

“I can box on the inside and the outside as well. I want to be a well-rounded fighter. If I see the opportunity for a knockout on Saturday, I am going to take it.”

Fazliddin Gaibnazarov

“I had a little break since my last fight because of an injury, but I am ready to go on Saturday and show everyone what I am capable of.”

###

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, Teiken Promotions, and Madison Square Garden, tickets for the Linares vs. Lomachenko world championship card are ON SALE NOW. Priced at $506, $406, $306, $206, $106, and $56, including facility fees, tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at MSG.com.

Use the hashtag #LinaresLoma to join the conversation on social media.

New York City (May 9, 2018) – Vasiliy Lomachenko and Jorge Linares took their talents to the streets of Manhattan on Wednesday, as they participated in an open workout on the corner of 33rd Street and 8th Avenue, just outside Madison Square Garden.

Lomachenko, a two-weight world champion, is looking to conquer a third weight class when he challenges WBA/Ring Magazine lightweight champion Jorge Linares on Saturday at “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

Linares vs. Lomachenko headlines an evening of world-class action, as welterweight contender Carlos Adames will take on savvy veteran Alejandro Barrera in the 10-round co-feature.

Appearing on the undercard will be Irish sensation Michael Conlan in an eight-round featherweight bout against once-beaten Ibon Larrinaga, 2016 U.S. Olympian Mikaela Mayer in a six-round lightweight contest against Baby Nansen, and Brooklyn native Teofimo Lopez against Vitor Freitas in an eight-round lightweight bout.

This is what the fighters had to say.

Jorge Linares

“I am hungry to win and to continue with my reign as world champion. This is a high-level fight and a very important one for my career because I am going to prove that Lomachenko is not an invincible fighter. We will see what he is really made of when he faces me this Saturday. I believe in myself and I know that I will come out with the victory. I am here to win. I did not come here to quit.”

Vasiliy Lomachenko

“I want to put my name in the history of boxing, and this is one of the steps I have to take, to fight in different weight classes, different titles. That’s what will put my name in the history of boxing.”

“I don’t know what Linares will bring. After the fight, I can compare him with Rigondeaux.”

“I already proved where I am, and I plan on being at the top of the sport for a very long time. I do not plan on slowing down.”

“Linares is one of the best fighters in his weight class. I don’t think it’s going to be easy work.”

Carlos Adames

“This Saturday, the fans will all talk about ‘Caballo Bronco’. This will be the first step towards a world championship opportunity and also the first step on my way to becoming the new face of boxing in the Dominican Republic. I have the talent, the mentality and the dedication to represent my country with dignity. That’s why I’m going to give my best and leave everything in the ring to give the fans a good show”

Mikaela Mayer

“I love that Top Rank is putting me on big cards and exposing women’s boxing a bigger audience. There’s definitely an increased interest in women’s boxing, and I am proud to be part of that.”

“Do I want a knockout? Of course. I want the fans to see that women can be in exciting fights and score knockouts.”

“If Nansen wants to come at me, I’m going to be ready for it. I’m ready for anything.”

Michael Conlan

“Madison Square Garden is my home away from home, and I can’t wait to put on a great show for the New York fans. This is going to be a great night of boxing.”

Teofimo Lopez

“This is my third time fighting at Madison Square Garden, and we know what happened last time I fought here. I knocked out the guy {Ronald Rivas} with one shot. One left hook, and he was out.”

“I believe in my God-given talent. Shout out to New York City. I’m from Brooklyn, and I look forward to showing up and feeling the love from my hometown fans.”

“Big things are coming. I love big cards like this. The more people I see out there, the more pumped up I get. Look out for the knockout because it’s coming.

###

Linares vs. Lomachenko and Adames vs. Barrera will be televised live and exclusively at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and undercard bouts will stream live on ESPN+, available through the ESPN App, beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, Teiken Promotions, and Madison Square Garden, tickets for the Linares vs. Lomachenko world championship card are ON SALE NOW. Priced at $506, $406, $306, $206, $106, and $56, including facility fees, tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at MSG.com.

Use the hashtag #LinaresLoma to join the conversation on social media.

LONDON (9 May, 2018) – Pound-for-pound ace Vasyl Lomachenko says he accepted the challenge to face lightweight king Jorge Linares in “less than two seconds”.

Former two-weight world champion Lomachenko will take on WBA and Ring Magazine lightweight world champion Linares in one of boxing’s most eagerly anticipated clashes of the year this Saturday night, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

Taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden, the 30-year-old Ukrainian will be moving up to lightweight and says the decision to take on the much respected Linares came very easy for him.

“I wanted to go up to the next weight category, 135 pounds, and fight only champions. Jorge Linares was available for this moment. That’s why I wanted a fight with him. I was asked if I wanted to fight Linares. It took me less than two seconds to accept the challenge,” said Lomachenko.

“For me, it’s a big challenge because before this fight, I fought against guys who were the same size or a little bit smaller than me. Now, I want to feel the way [Guillermo] Rigondeaux felt when he fought me.

“He was smaller than I at that point. I am going to be smaller than my opponents now. I want to show people it’s not a big problem, that five pounds is not too big of a difference,” he said.

Following a glittering amateur career, winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals along the way, Lomachenko will now be looking to become a three-weight world champion this weekend.

Despite having only 11 fights as a professional his superior talent has shone through, often forcing his big-talking opponents to quit on their stools.

The experienced Linares, who has a record of 44 wins with 27 KOs and just 3 defeats, has also tried to get under his opponents skin, with Lomachenko calling on him to show up at the press conference following the fight, as looks to continue building his legacy.

“I like it [his trash talking]. Before the fight, all boxers talk trash, but after the fight, nobody comes to the press conference. After this fight, I want to see Jorge Linares at the press conference, and I want to hear what he has to say,” Lomachenko said.

“This fight is the next step in my boxing history. We’re talking about my career. I built a ladder, and when I finish my boxing career, I want my ladder to be very strong and long,” he said.

Lomachenko v Linares will be live and exclusive on BoxNation from Saturday midnight.

Sky Customer Free Registration Offer: BoxNation subscription is £12 per month with free registration (normally £8) for Sky TV subscribers using offer code: CHAMPIONS.

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) and TV Player for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.

The channel is available on Sky (Ch.427), Freeview (Ch.255), Virgin (Ch.546), TalkTalk (Ch.415), TV Player, online at watch.boxnation.com and via apps (ios, Android, Amazon, Apple TV). BoxNation is also available in high definition on Sky (Ch. 490), at no extra cost to Sky TV subscribers, providing they are already HD enabled.

Available on selected internet-connected Freeview products only, subject to coverage. Visit freeview.co.uk/availability.

BoxNation is also available to commercial premises (inc. pubs, clubs and casino’s) in the UK and Ireland, for more information on a commercial subscription please call 0844 842 7700.

For more information visit www.boxnation.com

*Plus £8 registration fee for Sky TV customers

On Saturday, May 26, the fast-tracking of the “Argentinean Lomachenko,” two-time Olympian Alberto “Impacto” Melian (2-0, 2 KOs), will continue in Buenos Aires, when he takes on his undefeated countryman Sergio Sosa (10-0, 3 KOs) for the IBF Latino Super Bantamweight Championship.

Presented by Sampson Boxing, Melian vs. Sosa will headline a night of boxing entitled “Triple Impact on Paternal” that will be televised live on TyC Sports and VTV Uruguay (available in HD) for all of Latin America, The United States and the Caribbean.

After a distinguished amateur career and two Olympic appearances, 28-year-old Melian is off to a sensational start as a professional. In his debut, he knocked out the former world title contender Diego Ricardo Santillan (who entered the ring at 23-2) in the fifth round. In his second contest, Melian won the Argentine Super Bantamweight Championship with an eight-round TKO over Julian Aristule (32-8, 16 KOs).

A victory over Sosa will mean his first international championship and bring him one step closer to the world stage.

“Alberto Melian is a star on the rise in boxing,” said his promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “Because of his amateur and Olympic experience and his incredible skills, there is no need to take it slow. He is already one of the world’s best 122-lb fighters. He will continue to climb with every fight and should be ready for a world championship fight by next year.”

The co-main event will feature Uruguay’s Caril “El Ratón” Herrera (39-2, 23 KOs) taking on Argentina’s Roman “220 Volts” Reynoso (20-2-2, 9 KOs) in what promises to become a thrilling South American duel. Also appearing on the card will be former Olympian Alberto “Beto” Palmetta (7-1, 3 KOs) in an eight-round welterweight bout against fellow Argentinean Nahuel “El Perfecto” Galessi (12-4-1, 7 KOs).

Starting at 8:20 p.m. (7:20 EST) on TyC Sports, the new edition of “Boxeo de Primera Promocional,” will be begin with an amateur boxing showcase, followed by the professional fights.
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

One time GB amateur standout Sam Maxwell has no cause to fear any of the runners or riders in Britain’s white hot super-lightweight division.

Five years ago, the MTK managed Merseysider twice dipped between the ropes to confront the Ukraine’s formidable dual Olympic champion Vasyl Lomachenko over five rounds and remained vertical throughout.

Now unbeaten in six as a pro, the straight-shooting stylist is chasing ‘Loma’s’ tail in the commercial code.

You were born in Hackney, east London before moving to Prescot (eight miles east of Liverpool city centre)when you were eight. Must’ve been tough growing up on Merseyside with a Cockney accent.
Not really. I grew up in a good area surrounded by the right people. When you’re young you have to prove yourself but I was basically a mellow kid, a bit of a nerd. From 11, I was always training at the boxing gym rather than out on the streets.

Remind us of your amateur credentials.
I had about 150 bouts and won around 120. In addition to my (2014) Commonwealth Games bronze, I won the National Universities gold, two Senior ABAs and a British title, beating (2016 GB Olympian)Joey Cordina in the final. I also beat (undefeated pros) Josh Kelly and Josh Leather.

I spent five years on the Team GB set-up in Sheffield. I travelled all around the world, Russia, Ukraine, Mexico, Morocco, Algeria, Brazil and made some amazing friends who I still communicate with on a daily basis.

At the 2012 Olympic qualifiers, I beat the number one seed Albert Selimov from Russia – the only man to defeat Vasyl Lomachenko in almost 400 amateur bouts – but then lost to the Turk in Turkey. That was gutting. I also had 13 bouts in the WSB during two seasons with the GB Lionhearts and won about half of them.

It was in the World Series of Boxing that you twice swapped leather with a certain V.Lomachenko from the Ukraine!
Yeah. First fight I was a bit overwhelmed. I was supposed to fight someone else but there was a ‘pull out’ and ‘Loma’ was thrown on me at short notice. I did much better second time and it was a great experience. I’ve always got that on my CV.

He’s just an unbelievable talent; his feints, his angles, his intelligence. He’s always a few steps ahead of you, knows your movements before you do. He just destroys opponents mentally. That’s why they all ‘No Mas’!

I went 10 rounds with him and got paid about 400 quid for the two fights combined. You could put a good few noughts on the end of that if we ever meet in the pros. I definitely wanna make it a trilogy (laughs)!

You’ve made a storming start to your pro career since debuting in October 2016, winning six straight with five victims failing to finish.
The WSB acclimatizes you to fighting five rounds at a high pace against class opposition. You learn to save your energy, use the jab, avoid the heads.

I know from the pads that I have the power to hurt anyone with my long jab and back hand. I stopped barely a handful in the amateurs. However, it’s very hard to land a clean strong shot against the top amateurs whereas, in the pros, almost every shot connects with power. George (Vaughan, his veteran coach)has taught me not to be so bouncy and awkward. He’s really got me believing in myself.

You’re already 29 so might be required to make your move quicker than most. What’s the SP?
I’m with a great promoter in Frank Warren. Each fight his team ensure I face a better opponent yet I’m dealing with them and getting a bit more hype each time.

The domestic light-welter division is littered with talent like Josh Taylor who beat me in the (2014) Commonwealth Games semis plus Jack Catterall, Tyrone Nurse, Ohara Davies, Glenn Foot and Josh Leather. I believe I’m a very good boxer and a stiff puncher myself. There’s loads of entertaining fights to be made down the line.

There’s no need to rush but it’s great to see so many of my Team GB squad mates doing so well and fighting for titles before they’ve reached ten pro fights. Hopefully, it won’t be long before I’m joining them. I rate myself just as highly.

What can the packed Belfast crowd expect to see from Sam Maxwell on Saturday night?
The Irish fans are amazing so it’s crucial I look good before such a knowledgeable crowd. Hopefully, they’ll see a technically sound boxer, with a tight guard, good feet, a sharp jab and good power in my straight right hand.

I was in the ExCel (Arena) for the London Olympics when Katie Taylor was boxing and it was just unreal, a sea of green. Frampton is their favourite star so hopefully I can get on before him and really savour the atmosphere. I can’t wait.

I always train to do the rounds but if I clip ‘em clean and see they’re hurt, I won’t back off. My fight’s scheduled for six so hopefully I can showcase my skills, get four good rounds under my belt to bank for later in my career, then put ‘em away in style in the fifth or sixth.

Maxwell fights on a huge night of boxing at the SSE Arena in Belfast topped by the WBO Interim Featherweight World Title clash between two-weight Word Champion Carl Frampton MBE and four-weight World Champion Nonito Donaire.

WBO Bantamweight Champion of the World Zolani Tete also features as he makes the second defence of his title against former three-time World Champion Omar Andres Narvaez after his Word recording-breaking KO win at the SSE Arena in November.

WBO European Champion Conrad Cummings and Irish champion Luke Keeler go toe to toe in what promises to be an all-action Middleweight affair while Tyrone McKenna and Light-Welterweight rival Anthony Upton clash in an exciting all-Belfast match-up; with Belfast’s Marco McCullough keeping busy after Jono Carroll’s injury forced him to pull out of their IBF Intercontinental showdown.

Undefeated prospects David Oliver Joyce, Steven Ward, Lewis Crocker, Tyrone McCullagh, Troy Williamson, Ryan Hatton and Alex Dickinson complete an unmissable card.

A very limited number of tickets for Frampton v Donaire are available to purchase from the SSE Arena Belfast Box Office, www.ssearenabelfast.com and 0044(0)28 9073 9074. Prices range from £40 (tier) to £400 (inner-ring hospitality).

LONDON (13 April, 2018) – BoxNation have renewed their long-standing output deal with promoters Top Rank which will see the highly anticipated world title showdown between pound-for-pound star Vasyl Lomachenko and WBA lightweight champion Jorge Linares screened live and exclusive.

The May 12th clash will see Ukrainian star Lomachenko move up to the 135-pound weight division as he looks to become a three-weight world champion in only his 12th outing as a professional.

However, he faces one of boxing’s very best in Venezuelan hotshot Linares who is riding a 13-bout unbeaten streak dating back to 2012 and will be looking to prove to 30-year-old Lomachenko that he has bitten off more than he can chew with his move up.

“This is the fight that boxing fans wanted. This will be a super fight between two of the best champions,” Linares said. “Not only will I demonstrate why I’m the best lightweight in the world, but also that I’m one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I have the speed, skill and power to win this battle. This May 12, Vasiliy Lomachenko will bow down to ‘King’ Jorge.”

Taking place at the iconic Madison Square Garden, “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko can’t wait to grace the famous arena.

“We are very excited about the fight. It should be a great one. Fans from around the world have been waiting for Jorge and me to fight,” Lomachenko said. “We appreciate the work Top Rank did to put this fight together, and thanks to the television networks that helped make it happen. I am looking forward to May 12 in New York to make my debut in the big arena at Madison Square Garden.”

In addition to Lomachenko v Linares, BoxNation have added a further two fights to an already action packed schedule as part of the Top Rank deal with rising world champion Jessie Magdaleno defending his WBO super-bantamweight title against Isaac Dogboe.

Both men will go into the fight on April 28th unbeaten with only one of them set to emerge with their record intact.

Following that on June 9th live and exclusive from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas one of the very best fighters on the planet Terence Crawford will be aiming to win his first world title at welterweight as he takes on Manny Pacquiao conqueror Jeff Horn.

Horn’s WBO welterweight world championship belt will be on the line when he makes his US debut against the formidable Crawford, with the American adamant he will be victorious.

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring on June 9 and win the WBO welterweight championship,” Crawford said. “Jeff Horn and his team better be ready because they are going to see a bigger, stronger, and more powerful Terence Crawford. I am going home with that belt.”

Australian Horn may be going into the bout as an underdog in their summer sizzler but he is undefeated and used to upsetting the odds as his 2017 win over Pacquiao demonstrated.

Jim McMunn, BoxNation Managing Director, said: “BoxNation are delighted to renew our long-standing output deal with Top Rank. Top Rank continues to produce world class boxing cards as the additions to our thrilling upcoming schedule demonstrates. Vasyl Lomachenko v Jorge Linares is one of the most eagerly anticipated fights this year and will be one that will have BoxNation subscribers glued to their screens on May 12th. Pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford will be looking to show why he is so highly regarded when he challenges Manny Pacquiao’s conqueror Jeff Horn for the WBO welterweight world title on June 9th. And later this month on April 28th two undefeated super-bantamweights will battle it out as Jessie Magdaleno defends his WBO title against Ghana’s Isaac Dogboe.”

BoxNation is available on Sky/Freeview/Virgin/TalkTalk/EE/Apple TV/ online at watch.boxnation.com, via apps (iOS, Android, Amazon) and TV Player for just £12 a month. Buy now at boxnation.com.

– ENDS –

About BoxNation

BoxNation, the Channel of Champions and proud partner of Rainham Steel, is the UK’s first dedicated boxing channel. From £12* per month with no minimum term customers can enjoy great value live and exclusive fights, classic fight footage, magazine shows and interviews with current and former fighters.

Previous highlights have included Haye vs Chisora, Mayweather vs Maidana, Saunders vs Eubank Jr and Canelo vs Golovkin.

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According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the undercard for the May 12th showdown between lightweight champion Jorge Linares and Vasily Lomachenko has been finalized.

Welterweight Carlos Adames will take on Alejandro Barrera.

Two-time Irish Olympian Michael Conlan (6-0, 5 KOs), with a large fan following in New York’s Irish community, will face Ibon Larrinaga (10-1, 2 KOs), of Spain, in an eight-round featherweight fight.

Las Vegas lightweight Teofimo Lopez Jr. (8-0, 6 KOs), who was on the 2016 Honduras Olympic team representing the home country of his parents and who has emerged as one of the best prospects in boxing, will face Vitor Jones Freitas, of Brazil, in an eight-round fight. Jones Freitas (14-1, 8 KOs) is the nephew of Brazilian legend and former junior lightweight and lightweight world titleholder Acelino “Popo” Freitas.

Lightweight Jamel Herring (16-2, 9 KOs), of Coram, New York, a 2012 U.S. Olympian and a former U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, will face Juan Pablo Sanchez (30-15, 14 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round bout. The fight will be the first for Herring, who is trained by McIntyre and friends with Crawford, since signing with Top Rank.

Junior welterweight Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (3-0, 1 KO), who won Olympic gold in 2016 for Uzbekistan, will face Jesus Silveyra (8-5-2, 3 KOs), of Mexico, in an eight-round fight. Gaibnazarov will be fighting for the first time since a shoulder injury sidelined him in September.

Lightweight Mikaela Mayer (4-0, 3 KOs), a 2016 U.S. Olympian from Los Angeles, will face Baby Nansen (6-2-1, 0 KOs), of New Zealand, in her first scheduled six-round fight. Mayer needed only 35 seconds to notch a first-round knockout of Maria Semertzoglou in her last fight on March 10 on the Oscar Valdez-Scott Quigg undercard.

Lightweight world champion Jorge Linares will not have Ismael Salas in his corner when he faces Vasyl Lomachenko on May 12 at Madison Square Garden, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Salas, however, is in London training one of his other top fighters, former heavyweight titleholder David Haye, for his rematch with Tony Bellew on May 5 at the O2 Arena in London.

Taking the reigns as head trainer is Carlos Linares, Jorge’s younger brother, who has been part of his team for years. Jorge Linares also will have other regulars from his team with him, including cutman and assistant trainer Rudy Hernandez and strength and conditioning coach Jorge Capetillo.

“We did not leave Salas and Salas did not leave me,” Linares said through interpreter Robert Diaz, the matchmaker for his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions. “It was just a scheduling conflict. It was a conflict that made it difficult for us to be together for this fight. I understand. I’m not upset about it at all. I have all his advice and teachings that I need to do. It’s always there in spirit, and we can talk over the phone [during training camp]. We still communicate. This is not a breakup.”

“Linares is a very experienced fighter,” Diaz said. “Salas has been good for him, but Jorge knows what to do for this fight, and he is very motivated. He knows how important this fight with Lomachenko is. But this is also a fight Jorge and I have been talking about for two years. Jorge picked Lomachenko to fight. He told [Golden Boy CEO] Oscar [De La Hoya] that he wanted the biggest fight, and this is it.”

“Lomachenko could have picked an easier fight,” Linares said. “But he wants to fight the best. He wants the crown. I respect Lomachenko, and I am very motivated for this fight. Like people say, I also consider him the pound-for-pound best in boxing. That’s what motivates me. I am so thankful to my team for getting me this fight. This is what I have been working for.

“I know I have to work hard, but at the same time, Lomachenko is coming up in weight. He’s the challenger and I am the champion. My thing is I am going to remain the champion after this fight and show people how good I am. This is what I have always wanted, and I am grateful to ESPN, [Lomachenko promoter] Top Rank and Lomachenko for this opportunity to show how good I am.”

Michael Conlan has been added to the May 12th Jorge Linares – Vasyl Lomachenko card at Madison Square Garden, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to get a fight with someone undefeated because I want to step up again and show what I can do,” Conlan said. “It felt great to be in there against Berna. The fans turned out and the atmosphere was simply amazing. I wish the fight had gone on longer, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

“My trainer, Adam Booth, has brought back what I’m good at, which is using my boxing skills to break opponents down rather than steam in there and try to take them out quickly,” Conlan said. “It was a two-day party afterwards. I had a great time but then it was straight back in the gym and preparing for the next one. There are talks about fighting in Belfast in the summer and this fight will set that up.”

NEW YORK (March 21, 2018) – In a battle of two of the world’s pound-for-pound best, JORGE “El Niño de Oro” LINARES will defend his World Boxing Association (WBA) and Ring Magazine Lightweight titles against VASILIY “Hi-Tech” LOMACHENKO on Saturday, May 12, at “The World’s Most Famous Arena”, Madison Square Garden. Linares vs. Lomachenko will be televised live and exclusively at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Golden Boy Promotions, Teiken Promotions, and Madison Square Garden, tickets will go on sale to the general public at 12 p.m. EST on Friday, March 23. Priced at $506, $406, $306, $206, $106, and $56,including facility fees,tickets can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone (866-858-0008), and online at ticketmaster.com and MSG.com.

“Jorge has established himself as the world’s best lightweight by taking on any and all comers over his storied career, but a win on May 12 would put him on an entirely different level,” said Oscar De La Hoya, Chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “We fully understand that Lomachenko is universally seen as the best fighter on the planet, but he’s never faced anyone with the size and skill of Jorge, and I am confident that he will retain his WBA and Ring Magazine world championships. As this fight makes clear, I’m 100 percent committed to giving fans the fights they want to see and will work with anyone to accomplish that goal.”

“This is the fight that boxing fans wanted. This will be a super fight between two of the best champions,” Linares said. “Not only will I demonstrate why I’m the best lightweight in the world, but also that I’m one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I have the speed, skill and power to win this battle. This May 12, Vasiliy Lomachenko will bow down to ‘King’ Jorge.”

“This fight marks a significant step forward for one of the greatest fighters we’ve seen, Vasiliy Lomachenko, as he goes up in weight once again to fight the best lightweight in the world, Jorge Linares,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum, founder and CEO of Top Rank. “I want to thank everyone involved for making this happen, particularly Peter Nelson of HBO and the Golden Boy team, whose cooperation made this fight possible. This demonstrates that promoters and networks, when they work together for the good of everyone, can accomplish so very much.”

“We are very excited about the fight. It should be a great one. Fans from around the world have been waiting for Jorge and me to fight,” Lomachenko said. “We appreciate the work Top Rank did to put this fight together, and thanks to the television networks that helped make it happen. I am looking forward to May 12 in New York to make my debut in the big arena at Madison Square Garden.”

“Linares and Lomachenko are two of the world’s best fighters,” said Burke Magnus, ESPN’s Executive Vice President of Programming and Scheduling. “This is a prime example of the highest quality fights that will air exclusively on ESPN’s platforms through the combination of Top Rank and ESPN.”

Linares (44-3, 27 KOs), a 15-year pro from Barinas, Venezuela, is a three-weight world champion who is riding a 13-bout unbeaten streak dating back to 2012. He captured his first world title in 2007, when he scored a 10th-round stoppage over Oscar Larios to win the vacant WBC Featherweight crown. He defended that title once before moving up in weight, winning the vacant WBA Super Featherweight title on November 28, 2008, with a fifth-round TKO over Whyber Garcia.

Three stoppage defeats from 2009-2012 halted Linares’ momentum, but he has since re-established his place among the sport’s very best. He is a boxing globetrotter, as he won the WBC Lightweight world title in 2014 against Javier Prieto in Japan, and defended it against Kevin Mitchell in England and Ivan Cano in Venezuela.

After vacating the WBC Lightweight title due to injury, Linares snatched the WBA Lightweight title by traveling to enemy territory in Manchester, England, and earning a unanimous decision over Anthony Crolla on September 24, 2016. Six months later, he returned to Manchester and won a near-shutout decision over Crolla in their rematch. He last fought on January 27, scoring a wide unanimous decision win over Mercito Gesta at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

Lomachenko has already conquered the featherweight and super featherweight divisions as a professional. Now, the two-time Olympic gold medalist is ready to put the lightweight division on notice. From Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukraine, Lomachenko has won seven consecutive fights by stoppage, including four consecutive corner stoppages. Last December, he forced fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux to bow out following the sixth round. After the fight, Lomachenko quipped that his new nickname should be ‘No Mas-chenko.’ The Rigondeaux fight capped a 2017 in which Lomachenko earned ‘Fighter of the Year’ honors from ESPN and the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA). He also scored TKO victories over Jason Sosa and Miguel Marriaga that year, forcing corner stoppages in fights he was dominating.

The ‘No Mas-chenko’ legend began on November 26, 2016, when the previously unbeaten Nicholas Walters stayed on his stool following the seventh round. Lomachenko captured the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Super Featherweight title earlier that year with a one-punch, fifth-round knockout of Roman Martinez.

Lomachenko, who went an astonishing 396-1 in the amateur ranks, tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third pro bout. On June 21, 2014, he defeated Gary Russell, Jr. for the vacant WBO Featherweight title, equaling the mark set by Thailand’s Saensak Muangsurin, who won the WBC Super Lightweight crown on July 15, 1975, with a third-round knockout of Spain’s Perico Fernandez.

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Use the hashtag #LinaresLoma to join the conversation on social media.

This past Saturday, March 17, the “Argentinean Lomachenko,” two-time Olympian Alberto “Impacto” Melian, fought for and won his first professional title in only his second professional fight.

Fighting at the Club Social y Deportivo Comercio in his hometown of Villa Dolores, Cordoba, Argentina, Melian (2-0, 2 KOs) captured the Argentine Super Bantamweight Championship with an eighth-round TKO over countryman Julian Aristule (32-9, 16 KOs).

Fighting on a show entitled “Night of the Olympians,” televised live on TyC Sports and VTV Uruguay and presented by Sampson Boxing in partnership with Tello Box and JEB Boxing, Melian was down for the first time in his young career in the first round, but came back to floor Aristule in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds before his corner threw the towel at 0:15 of the eighth.

The victory was a history-making first for the respected Argentina (FAB), as no fighter had ever taken one of their titles in just his second fight as a professional.

“Alberto was sensational in going eight rounds for the first time,” said his promoter, Sampson Lewkowicz. “After a flash knockdown in the first, he took over and showed excellent stamina while pounding his opponent the entire fight. He will be back on May 26 and I will have a big announcement coming soon.”
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the much anticipated lightweight championship bout between Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko will happen on May 12th at Madison Square Garden.

The fight will be televised at 8 PM ET. The time of the bout was a sticking point as Golden Boy Promotions (Linares promoter) has the replay of the previous week Camelo Alvarez – Gennady Golovkin rematch plus a live fight featuring Sadam Ali scheduled for 10 PM that night on HBO, and the promoter did not want to promote against one of it’s fights on a different network.

After negotiating, ESPN agreed to move the time up for the Linares – Lomachenko bout to satisfy all parties.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that a proposed lightweight title bout between Jorge Linares and Vasyl Lomachenko is not not imminent due to a proposed May 12 day not being right for Linares promoter Golden Boy Promotions.

Top Rank planned to stage the fight as the main event of an ESPN card on May 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York. However, Golden Boy said that date is unacceptable because it has an HBO event that night — the probable return of junior middleweight world titleholder Sadam Ali for his first defense since sending Miguel Cotto into retirement in December, along with the replay of the May 5 pay-per-view rematch between middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.

According to Top Rank President Todd duBoef, he spoke to Honda and Teiken executive Akemi Irie about the date, and they settled on May 12.

“Akemi said May 12, fine, great,” duBoef said. “I said, ‘Let me know what you need for the fight. Mr. Honda came with a number; I gave him a counteroffer. Then he came back to me and said, ‘Can you do it for this number?’ And I said, ‘For you, yes, I can.’ He said give me [last weekend] to make sure we’re good. He calls me on Monday night, and he says we’re all good, please have somebody from Top Rank call Golden Boy and do the details on travel, tickets, the minutia. The first thing we resolved, before the money, was the date because of the sensitivity to Linares’ health.

“First I heard that there was a problem with May 12 was after [Top Rank vice president] Carl [Moretti] had a conversation about it with [Golden Boy president] Eric Gomez on Tuesday. Mr. Honda called me about it apologizing and very upset. He said they knew May 12 from the beginning, and he was very disappointed.”

“That’s the date held by ESPN, and I’m not going to drag over Jorge Linares,” duBoef said. “Lomachenko is fighting May 12 on ESPN, and we’d like for him to fight Linares. So would Mr. Honda and Linares.”

“Golden Boy has also been talking to us for quite a while about a live fight on May 12,” HBO Sports spokesman Ray Stallone told ESPN in a statement. “HBO has not received any offer on a Linares-Lomachenko fight yet. We look forward to receiving one — since we do have a first/last [contractual option] with Jorge Linares and have interest in the fight. We are not standing in the way of anything.”

“We told Mr. Honda no problem, try to get a deal done, but we can’t do the fight a week before the pay-per-view or the week after because we’re doing an HBO event,” Gomez said. “But I have a solution. If Arum is committed to Madison Square Garden and it has to be May 12, HBO would buy the fight. I spoke to Peter Nelson and he will absolutely buy the fight and based on the numbers Honda gave us, HBO will pay more. Now that’s a solution. We’re flexible. We can do it on HBO. If Arum is committed to ESPN then let’s pick another date.”

“It’s not in consideration for me to go on HBO,” he said. “We have an agreement with Mr. Honda and he was telling Golden Boy that we all believe the best place for this fight is on ESPN, a sports platform with the most amount of homes and the best possible viewership. Coming off nearly 2 million viewers for the Rigondeaux fight we are going to keep the momentum going regardless of if it’s Linares or the winner of Friday night’s fight.”

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, talks have began for a possible showdown between junior lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko and Jorge Linares.

“I’ve been talking to Mr. Honda for a month about the possibility of Linares-Lomachenko,” Lomachenko promoter Bob

Arum said. “But I had to wait for Linares to fight on Saturday night and see how things turned out. Well, the kid won. Now we can discuss terms for the fight. I’m waiting to hear back from Honda.

“Knowing Honda, he’ll probably ask for the terms he wants and we’ll work that out, and then he would have me contact Golden Boy for the provision of services contract and to work out the other stuff, like tickets, travel, those details. So far in my conversations with Honda, everything is proceeding nicely, so we’ll see.”

Arum said, according to Honda, it is a fight Linares is very interested in — and the same goes for Lomachenko and his manager, Egis Klimas.

“It’s being worked on for the next fight,” Arum said. “We want to make sure that Linares is OK and ready to go. He had a little cut [against Gesta] and he hurt his hand a little bit, so we need to make sure he’s fine. Depending on how he feels, the fight will be either April 28 or May 12. Linares is a tremendous fighter. He’s a guy with an excellent résumé and a good name.

“I’ve been communicating with Lomachenko through Egis and they are both very enthusiastic to do that fight, as is Lomachenko’s father [trainer Anatoly Lomachenko]. I haven’t talked to Golden Boy yet, but I have talked to Honda and Honda doesn’t mess around. His kid wants the fight and we want the fight.”

“We’re ready,” Linares promoter Oscar De La Hoya said. “Lomachenko versus Linares is the fight to make, so we have to make it. For 2018, our goal is to always make the best fights and that’s actually one of them out of many, so Bob Arum, give me a call.”

De La Hoya reiterated his view on Monday, telling ESPN, “I want Linares to fight Lomachenko next and if Bob Arum is serious about making the fight, then I’ll wait for his offer and see what it is. But that’s the fight we want next for Linares. That’s the fight the fans want to watch and I’m all for it.”

“Golden Boy will not stand in the way of any fight,” De La Hoya said. “For my fighters, I’m going to try to make the most money for them. If Bob Arum is going to come with an offer and I feel I can beat it, he should give me an opportunity to do so whether the fight is on HBO or ESPN. But I want to make the most money for my fighters. We are not going to get in the way of this fight being made.”

18
The Boxing Writers Association of America is proud to announce that its Sugar Ray Robinson 2017 Fighter of the Year is Vasily “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko, who made history in becoming the first Ukrainian to earn that distinction in the 80-year history of the award.

Lomachenko (10-1, 8 knockouts) earned the BWAA’s coveted prize by beating solid contenders Jason Sosa and Miguel Marriaga in 2017, then closing the year by making two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux quit after six rounds.

“Hi-Tech” won out over Terence Crawford, Anthony Joshua, Mikey Garcia and Thailand star Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.

Lomachenko’s selection is the crowning moment for Team Lomachenko, which won a rare BWAA triple crown by winning the BWAA’s fighter, trainer and manager of the year awards for 2017. The last trio to complete the BWAA’s triple crown was in 1992, when Riddick Bowe was the BWAA FOY, the late renowned Eddie Futch was Trainer of the Year and Rock Newman was Manager of the Year.

For the first time ever, the BWAA announced its first 2017 Christy Martin Female Fighter of the Year, Cecilia Braekhus, who won over a worthy class that included Jessica Chavez, Naoko Fujioka, Mariana Juarez, Amanda Serrano, Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor.

The 2017 Muhammad Ali – Joe Frazier Fight of the Year was an obvious choice, with the epic Showtime heavyweight championship fight between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017 before 90,000 at Wembley Stadium. That choice outdistanced David Benavidez-Ronald Gavril, James DeGale-Badou Jack, Miguel Roman-Orlando Salido and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai-Roman Gonzalez I.

The second winner of Team Lomachenko’s BWAA triple crown is Loma’s father, Anatoly Lomachenko, who was voted the BWAA’s 2017 Eddie Futch Trainer of the Year. The finalists in that category included Derrick James, Brian McIntyre, Andre Rozier and Abel Sanchez.

For the second-straight year and completing Team Lomachenko trifecta is the BWAA’s 2017 Cus D’Amato Manager of the Year Egis Klimas, in a category that included Keith Connolly and Frank Espinoza.

For the second time in three years, Lou DiBella is a BWAA award winner—but this year DiBella finally breaks a spell receiving his first voted-on award by taking the 2017 Sam Taub trophy for outstanding achievement in broadcast journalism. The finalists there included Brian Custer, Stephen Espinoza, Roy Jones and Mauro Ranallo.

Daniel Franco’s saga in 2017 has been well documented. The California featherweight recovered from a serious brain injury after a fight in June and continues to make great progress. The BWAA is honored to name Franco as the 2017 Bill Crawford Courage Award winner. The other distinguished candidates in this category were Kathy Duva, Jose Santa Cruz, Claressa Shields and Samuel Teah.

The BWAA is also proud to announce Dr. Margaret Goodman as the 2017 Barney Nagler Long & Meritorious Award. This is the second BWAA award for Dr. Goodman, who received the Honesty and Integrity Award in 2005. The honorable mentions in this category included the BWAA’s indispensable Gina Andriolo, punchstat guru Bob Canobbio, boxing journalist Randy Gordon and BoxRec creator John Sheppard.

Long-time publicist Ed Keenan is the co-winner of the 2017 Marvin Kohn Good Guy Award, sharing it with future Hall of Famer Wladimir Klitschko. The team of Keenan-and-Klitschko was selected among a group of worthwhile contenders like Matt Donovan, Jose Ramirez, Bruce Silverglade and Tim Smith.

The awards will be presented at the annual BWAA gala, which will take place in April on a specific date and venue yet to be determined.

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, a proposed bout between Manny Pacquiao and Vasyl Loamchenko is not in the near-future cards.

“No, we are not fighting Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao is calling out Lomachenko, who is three weight classes down the scale from him. Manny Pacquiao is 147 pounds and he’s calling out Lomachenko, who is 130 pounds. That’s insane,” said Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas told ESPN.

“There are negotiations now about the No. 1 pound-for-pound, which is Lomachenko,” Pacquiao said in an interview with ABS-CBN. “There are still talks on the weight, reducing the weight.”

“Look, we have our own agenda, our own road and our own plans. That’s where we’re going,” Klimas said. “There’s a lot of champions and good guys at 130 or 135 pounds. That’s where we’re going. Why isn’t Pacquiao calling out [Terence] Crawford? Crawford is moving into Pacquiao’s weight class. Why doesn’t he call out [Mikey] Garcia, who is at 140?”

“The difference is Lomachenko didn’t call out Rigondeaux,” he said. “Rigondeaux was willing and begging for the fight, so Lomachenko fought Rigondeaux. They had two gold medals each, they were both undefeated, and did that take Lomachenko somewhere? For Team Lomachenko, that fight didn’t mean anything. He beat a small guy. Even if he beat Pacquiao, they’d say he beat an old guy who was basically retired. We want to fight active champions dominating their weight classes.”

“We discussed at one point Manny and Lomachenko fighting, but Lomachenko’s father [trainer Anatoly Lomachenko] said he didn’t want him to jump up two divisions even though the fight would be at a catch weight of 140 pounds,” Top Rank’s Bob Arum said. “His father said he wanted him to first go up to 135 pounds and then maybe they’d consider a fight with Pacquiao at 140 pounds later.

“The spring would be too premature, but certainly that’s a fight that might be attractive down the road.”

Guillermo Rigondeaux was stripped of his junior featherweight title following his defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko in a junior lightweight title bout on December 9th, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“I think it’s very unfair,” Alex Bornote, Rigondeaux’s manager, told ESPN. “We fought at 130 pounds. What does that have to do with anything at 122 pounds, where Rigo was champion? They just had it in for us. His inactivity has totally screwed him. Rigo has been inactive and when you’re inactive the WBA is not getting any sanctioning fees, so they’ve had it in for us.”

“I didn’t think it would be such a horrible performance,” Bornote said. “It’s another nail in his coffin in his career. It’s the Rigo story. Never have I ever seen such a thing. He has no luck at all.

“He doesn’t feel all that great right now. He didn’t think the weight difference would be such a big deal, but Lomachenko is a very special talent, a great boxer. And Rigo also hurt his hand, so he was at a big disadvantage.”

“It was hard enough for Rigo to get a fight when he had a world title, so now imagine what it’s going to be like without a title. But he’s definitely going back to his weight class at 122 pounds or maybe 126 pounds,” Bornote said. “He’s really a natural 118-pounder, but in this market, with the opponents out there, we might have to also consider fighting at 126 pounds.

“I just don’t know what we’re going to do. Maybe we’ll find something in Europe for him. They liked him when he fought in U.K. [in 2016]. But we’ll try to get him back in the ring and wash that bad taste out of our mouth because that performance with Lomachenko was horrible. He knows it. Lomachenko was just too big, too fast and Rigo hurt his hand. It was a disaster for him. Lomachenko is special. Rigo doesn’t see anyone who is going to beat [Lomachenko] in that weight class. He said Lomachenko is for real.”

LAS VEGAS, NV (December 28, 2017) — Boxing enjoyed an outstanding 2017 and before the crystal ball drops in Times Square to begin an even better year, Top Rank asked some of its fighters for their New Year’s resolutions. Here are their responses:

TERENCE CRAWFORD (32-0, 23 KOs) / Two-division world champion / 2017 BWAA Fighter of the Year nominee / 2014 BWAA Fighter of the Year

“My 2018 resolutions are to win a world title at my new welterweight division, making me a three-division champion, and to open the fully renovated B&B Boxing Academy here in Omaha for all the kids in my community to enjoy.”

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (10-1, 8 KOs) / Two-division world champion / 2017 BWAA Fighter of the Year nominee
“First I want to wish world peace on earth, good health and Happy 2018 to all. For me, I want to get back into the ring at least three times and fight the best fighters and biggest names available.”

ÓSCAR VALDEZ (23-0, 19 KOs) / WBO featherweight world champion

“Thanks to God, this was a year full of emotions and victories for our team. I’m going to keep working hard to defend my title and have an even better 2018”

GILBERTO RAMÍREZ (36-0, 24 KOs) / WBO super middleweight world champion.

“First, I want to successfully defend my title in Corpus Christi on February 3 and give the fans a good show. I want to start 2018 the right way. I also want to unify titles and clean up the division, so I can show the world that I’m the best fighter at 168 pounds. Finally, I want to be the king of the super middleweight division and be one of the best pound for pound fighters. That is my dream”

JOSEPH PARKER (24-0, 18 KOs) / WBO heavyweight world champion

“My New Year’s resolution is to give the fans an undisputed world heavyweight champion by beating up Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder as well as bringing honor to New Zealand, Samoa and the sport of boxing. The world deserves a heavyweight champion who isn’t afraid to fight on his opponents’ home turf.”

JEFF HORN (18-0-1, 12 KOs) / WBO welterweight world champion

“I would like to have a healthy baby and to be a great dad. I would like to earn millions from the sport of boxing. I would like to keep proving the doubters wrong and remain undefeated and world champion against top competition.”

RYOTA MURATA (13-1, 10 KOs), WBA middleweight world champion

“For this coming year I hope to have my title defenses lead to big fights. But first I will put my utmost effort to win the fights, that Top Rank and Teiken Promotion have put together for me, and to win them impressively.”

RAY BELTRAN (34-7-1, 21 KOs) / WBO No. 1 world-rated lightweight contender

“My New Year’s resolution is to be the best father, husband I can be, to continue to provide for my family, to be an ambassador to this sport, to be a model citizen of America, to represent this great country, and Mexico in and out of the ring, and to prove on February16th that I am the best and the most dangerous lightweight in the world.”

JOSE RAMÍREZ (21-0, 16 KOs) / WBC No. 3 world-rated super lightweight contender

“My New Year’s resolution is to continue to fight on immigration. To focus more on priorities including family and business plans. To stay active in the gym all year so I can I fight at least three fights. To become world champion. To worry less about what I don’t have and enjoy more what I do have. To practice my faith a bit more. And last, to spend less time on the phone including Social Media.”

MICHAEL CONLAN (5-0, 4 KOs) / Two-time Olympian / 2012 Olympic bronze medalist / 2016 World Amateur Champion

“My New Year’s resolutions for 2018 is to sell out Madison Square Garden again on St Patrick’s Day, sell out a fight in Boston, and also sell out my homecoming show in Belfast, towards the end off the year. I’d like to push on into big fights and hopefully pick up some sort of title on my way! 2017 has been a fantastic year, thank you to Top Rank, ESPN, my management MTK Global and of course all my supporters all around the world. Let’s bring The Conlan Revolution into 2018 with a bang!”

ANDRE WARD (32-0, 16 KOs) / Retired IBF / WBA / WBO super middleweight world champion / Co-manager of Shakur Stevenson

“Shakur has the potential to be one of the greats in the sport. My resolution for him in 2018 is to stay focused on his craft, listen to the strong team of people he has in his life, and to stay on the right path so he can ultimately get to the finish line.”

SHAKUR STEVENSON (4-0, 2 KOs) / 2016 Olympic silver medalist

“My resolutions for 2018 are to be as active as possible in the ring, continue to make my family and Brick City proud and prove that I am the best prospect in boxing.”

OLEKSANDR GVOZDYK (14-0, 12 KOs) / WBO No. 1 light heavyweight world-rated contender / 2012 Olympic bronze medalist

“I want to become a world champion and then keep busy fighting 3-4 times in 2018. n I want to wish everyone happy and safe holidays.”

ALEX SAUCEDO (26-0, 16 KOs) / No. 3 WBO and No. 4 WBA super lightweight world-rated contender

“It is my New Year’s resolution to make 2018 a big year. To battle hard every time I get into the ring, and ultimately win at least one 140 pound world title.”

CHRISTOPHER DIAZ (22-0, 14 KOs) / No. 4 WBO world-rated junior lightweight contender

“My goal in 2018 is to become a world champion and give boxing fans the best action-packed fights.”

FÉLIX VERDEJO (23-0, 15 KOs) / 2012 Olympian

“My new year’s resolution is to let my actions in the ring speak for me. I want to bring a world title to my Island and I know this will be the year that I become a world champion”

TEÓFIMO LÓPEZ (7-0, 6 KOs) / 2016 Olympian
“My 2018 resolution is nothing but to just keep on winning. Unleashed Savage!”

MIKAELA MAYER (3-0, 2 KOs) / 2016 Olympian / Three-time U.S. National Amateur Champion

1. Practice gratitude even when there’s a reason to be unhappy or to complain
2. Take my dogs on more adventures even when I’m tired from training
3. Eat less meat and incorporate new vegan recipes into my diet more often
4. Design a Mikaela Mayer glove with Everlast
5. Extend my sponsor partnerships
6. Find new ways to give back to my fans
7. Showcase my skills on a MAIN card on ESPN
8. Fight my first 10 rounder
9. Capture all the 130 lb belts!

********************

Top Rank on ESPN makes its season debut on Super Bowl weekend, Saturday, February 3, at American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, with an exciting world championship doubleheader. GILBERTO “Zurdo” RAMÍREZ of Mazatlan, Mexico, defends his World Boxing Organization (WBO) super middleweight world title against Top-Five world-rated contender HABIB “Wild Hurricane” AHMED (22-0, 17 KOs) from Accra, Ghana. The co-main event will feature Filipino fireball and Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao protégé JERWIN “Pretty Boy” ANCAJAS (26-1-1, 18 KOs), of Cavite City, Philippines, in his U.S. debut. Ancajas will be making the fourth defense of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) junior bantamweight world title against Top-10 contender ISRAEL GONZALEZ (20-1, 8 KOs), of Cabo San Lucas, México. Both fights will be televised live and exclusively at 10:15 p.m. EST on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App.

Promoted by Top Rank®, in association with Zapari Boxing Promotions, MP Promotions and Joven Sports, remaining tickets to the Ramírez – Ahmed / Ancajas – Gonzalez world championship doubleheader event are priced at $152, $102, $62, $42, and $27, including facility fees. They may be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, at the American Bank Center Box Office, Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT, or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000.

For more information visit: www.toprank.com, www.espn.com/boxing; Facebook: facebook.com/trboxing,facebook.com/espndeportes; Twitter: twitter.com/trboxing, twitter.com/trboxeo, @ESPN @ESPNBoxeo

@ESPNDeportes.

Last Saturday night, two-time Argentinean Olympian Alberto “Impact” Melian turned professional the “Lomachenko way” by knocking out the former world title challenger Diego Ricardo Santillan in the fifth round.

Fighting in front of a sold out F.A.B. Stadium in his hometown of Buenos Aires, Melian hit Santillan (now 23-3, 15 KOs) with a sizzling right hand that dropped him for the 10 count.

Promoted by Sampson Boxing, in association with Tello Box and JEB Boxing and with the sponsorship of Abitab and Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors, “Night Of High Impact” and was broadcast live by TyC Sports for all of Latin America and a large part of the United States.

Next up, the Argentinean super bantamweight phenom will face Julián “Chispita” Aristule for the Argentinean championship.

“Alberto is the newest star in boxing,” said promoter Sampson Lewkowicz. “He is the Argentine Lomachenko. In his first fight, he knocked out a world title challenger and will be world champion by next year.”

On the same fight card, the Buenos Aires native Tomás “The Cobra” Reynoso won by disqualification in the fifth round to Sebastian “The Promise” Papeschi and snatched the super middleweight WBC Latin title.

The referee Rodolfo Stella punished Papeschi after his repeated dangerous use of the head, a situation that had already earned him a one point discount in the second episode.

Reynoso (12-2-1, 3 KOs) gets the belt and he broke the unbeaten record of “The Promise”, who has now a pro record of 12-1, with 6 KOs.

In an international special attraction, the undefeated Californian Sebastian “The Infernal Tower” Fundora (8-0, 4 KOs) won by points in unanimous decision after six rounds to the local idol David Ezequiel “Horseshoe” Romero (11-7-1, 5 KOs). Fundora is getting famous for his extraordinary size of 1.98 m. which makes him the tallest super welterweight boxer in the history of his weight class.

In another six-rounder, the Dominican middleweight, Felix “Jay Jay” Vargas (7-2, 2 KOs) won in split decision to the now former unbeaten Julián Isaias “The Diamond” Gómez (3-1, 3 KOs) from Buenos Aires.

In addition, the former national Argentina amateur team member, the undefeated light flyweight Anyelén “La Peke” Espinosa (5-0) won by unanimous decision after six rounds to María Laura Cano (1-3).

And in a four-rounder, Federico Rodríguez (1-0) makes his pro debut with a victory by points in split decision over Matías Díaz (2-4).
About Sampson Boxing
After a very successful run as a matchmaker and adviser, Sampson Lewkowicz switched over to the promotional side of professional boxing in January 2008.

Sampson Boxing has grown into one of the world’s most prestigious promotional firms, representing many of the world’s best fighters and most promising young contenders.

Sampson Boxing has promotional partners all over North and South America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe and Central America and Sampson Boxing events have been televised on such premiere networks as HBO, Showtime, ESPN, VS. and several international networks.

Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast, featuring Vasiliy Lomachenko successfully defending his WBO World Junior Lightweight title against Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-1-0, 11 KO), delivered big on ratings and viewership, making it Saturday’s most-viewed telecast on cable television among men 18-34 and men 18-49, according to final viewership data from Nielsen Media Research.

December 9 Top Things to Know

· All four of Saturday night’s fights within the telecast averaged at least 1.6 million viewers and rank among the top eight fights on cable in 2017

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN averaged 1,845,000 viewers across ESPN and ESPN Deportes, including 405,000 Hispanic viewers

· On ESPN, the full telecast averaged 1,730,000 viewers and was the most-viewed Hispanic telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN Deportes, the full telecast averaged 115,000 viewers and was the most-viewed telecast of the day on the network

· On ESPN, the telecast averaged 290,000 Hispanic viewers and 17% of the audience was of Hispanic descent. The telecast was the most-viewed telecast of the day on cable television among Hispanic adults 18 to 49.

Top Rank on ESPN to date

· Saturday’s Top Rank on ESPN telecast ranks as the second most-viewed boxing telecast on cable in 2017, behind the Top Rank on ESPN Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn July telecast

· To date, Top Rank on ESPN is averaging 1.6 million viewers and 55% of the audience has been multicultural

· Top Rank on ESPN has also aired the twelve most-viewed fights on cable in 2017

*Note that telecast refers to full window (e.g. 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.) and fight refers to each single fight during the telecast

Viewers for Top Boxing Fights on Cable Television in 2017

NET

Date

Fight

Viewers

ESPN

07/01/2017

Manny Pacquiao/Jeff Horn

3,925,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Jerwin Ancajas/Teiru Kinoshita

2,234,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Vasiliy Lomachenko/Guillermo Rigondeaux

2,114,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Michael Conlan/Jarrett Owen

1,867,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

Artur Beterbiev/Enrico Koelling

1,725,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Shakur Stevenson/Oscar Mendoza

1,687,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Chris Diaz/Bryant Cruz

1,647,000

ESPN

12/09/2017

Michael Conlan/Luis Fernando Molina

1,635,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Terence Crawford/Julius Indongo

1,327,000

ESPN

11/11/2017

José Ramírez/Mike Reed

1,182,000

ESPN

07/01/2017

Shane Mosley Jr./David Touissaint

1,177,000

ESPN

08/19/2017

Oleksandr Gvozdyk/Craig Baker

968,000

Next up for Top Rank on ESPN is the Saturday, February 3 bout between Gilbert “Zurdo” Ramirez, Mexico’s super middleweight champion, defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) title against Top-Five world-rated contender Habib “Wild Hurricane” Ahmed from Accra, Ghana. The fight will take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX, and will be televised live and exclusively at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and stream live on the ESPN App.

By Jimmy Tobin-

Saturday night at Madison Square Garden Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko convinced his fourth consecutive opponent to quit on his stool. His victim this time, fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist, Guillermo “El Chacal” Rigondeaux, retired with an injured left hand after the sixth round. What more need be said about the action, lopsided, clinical, predictable as it was?

Much will be made of Rigondeaux’s decision in the aftermath: some will wonder how a fist that seemed never to land could have been damaged, or why trainer Pedro Diaz seemed so ready to act on Rigondeaux’s cue to end the affair. Ringside, Tim Bradley, as honest and polite and warring a prizefighter as we have seen in recent years, voiced such skepticism when Rigondeaux, halfway through the fight but at the threshold of humiliation, chose to preserve a career he says he may pursue no further.

Rigondeaux is a proud man, indeed his disregard for audiences is proof of that; he is also a fighter at heart, something he confirmed in climbing off the canvas to butcher Hisashi Amagasa and in his utter and arrogant defusing of Nonito Donaire. For this, perhaps, his professed injury deserves a courteous ear. But every second of every minute of every round Saturday belonged to Lomachenko, and who could better appreciate that dominance, and the bruising mischief it wrought, than Rigondeaux? Perhaps for the first time in a boxing ring, Rigondeaux was without answers, and that hopelessness, made all the more real by the taunts and mockery that have become part of Lomachenko’s signature, was likely more than he could bear.

Now a 37-year-old (and injured?) persona non grata, Rigondeaux chose to walk away from what was likely his last chance at glory and the remuneration it brings. Yes, Lomachenko held every advantage; size, youth, activity aside, he is simply better than Rigondeaux and employs an ideal style for disrupting the Cuban’s measured violence. The fight Rigondeaux had lobbied so long for was finally his, however, and he revealed how much that opportunity meant to him. Offer whatever apologies for Rigondeaux you like, boxers are held to a higher standard because they have earned that honor, and in capitulating as he did, Rigondeaux showed that however brilliant a fighter he is, barring something remarkable and out of tune with the tenor of his career, greatness will elude him.

Did it also confound and abuse him on this night? Well, not yet. Lomachenko is not yet a great fighter. He has the makings of one, certainly, but dominance alone does not establish greatness—at least not in an eleven fight career that features more losses (one) than it does great opponents. That lone loss, to Orlando Salido, is too frequently glossed over to be forgotten. Yet Lomachenko is no longer the naive and inexperienced fighter that fell for Salido’s dirty charms, and the next man who hangs a defeat on the Ukrainian will accomplish something greater than Salido did. Unlike Rigondeaux, Lomachenko will end his career remembered for more than his amateur achievements.

Still, there is something missing from Lomachenko, or, more charitably, if not from him then at least from his fights. That something was on display this weekend, though.

You could find it in the ring in Hialeah, Florida, where light heavyweight neverender, Jean Pascal, took his first (and hopefully only) leave of the sport knocking out aspiring Ahmed Elbiali. Plenty pulped over the past few years, Pascal nevertheless faced yet another undefeated fighter in Elbiali—his fifth in his last six fights. And as he has done for years, Pascal drew a line in the sand behind which he lobbed one grenade after another, wagering on his ammunition outlasting his opponent.

It was there in the Copper Box Arena in England, where +5000 underdog Caleb Truax won the IBF super middleweight title from James DeGale. No meager feat that: taking a title on the cards on a champion’s turf, but there was Truax giving his best performance in his biggest moment and being rightly rewarded for it. That title came with a bullseye, and Truax, who understandably dropped to his knees as his name was read, now wears both happily.

So too, could you find it in the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, where Miguel Roman extended his career at the expense of Orlando Salido, who bid us farewell with yet another self-immolating performance. Salido’s career ends the way it began, with a TKO loss, but what he managed in the sixty fights in between is what defines him. If a less-than-great fighter can have a great career, then Salido had one; if there is a question about Salido the fighter he left unanswered it has yet to be spoken. Like Rigondeaux, Salido too decided he had had enough, wilting finally under Roman’s bodywork and the slow bleed of a career remarkable for its brutality. But boxing forgives the bold (which is why any outcome other than Saturday’s would have been better for Rigondeaux), and Salido earned that soft spot on the canvas.

Pascal, Truax, Salido—Lomachenko is better than all of them by some margin. And yet these three each provided something more intimate, more vulnerable, and in their own way more endearing than Lomachenko’s perfection. Lomachenko is math not literature; the application of formulas not passion.

The implied request here is for moments of genuine peril for Lomachenko, the type of request last directed toward Floyd Mayweather Jr., whose fights also felt scripted in their dominance. It is because of comparisons like this that the goalposts are continuously moved on Lomachenko, and so they should be considering how close he was to them from the start, how easily he has triumphed since his stumble against Salido (because, again, that happened). But this is proof he is great, you say? Fine. Those goalposts, move them again and again and again.

By Bart Barry-

Saturday on ESPN Ukrainian super featherweight champion Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko made undefeated Cuban super bantamweight champion Guillermo “The Jackal” Rigondeaux quit after six rounds. On HBO Mexican journeyman Miguel “Mickey” Roman beat to a crumple Mexican journeyman and former champion Orlando “Siri” Salido. ESPN’s match comprised two fighters with four Olympic gold medals. HBO’s comprised two fighters with 25 professional losses. While any aficionado might’ve predicted which match would be more entertaining, few of us predicted exactly how much more entertaining Roman-Salido’d be than Lomachenko-Rigondeaux.

Saturday’s mainevents hadn’t a unifying thread that springs to mind but Salido, HBO’s counterprogramming ace, representing the one loss on Lomachenko’s record. It’s a proper loss, too, no matter how a commentator and ring announcer now revise it.

No sooner do we threaten to start a new era in which undefeated ledgers are not all there is to a fighter’s dossier but we try to unblemish Lomachenko’s record retroactively – else we’ll compromise what words like “otherworldly” we now include in the subtitle of his brochure. This straining for symmetry is what happens when we see ourselves as storytellers, not journalists, a point of ongoing and massive struggle for television as a medium.

Television was built on images that flicker to mesmerize and entertain. When this wasn’t enough to grow revenues television endeavored to get serious and journalistic and in a small corner of itself did so successfully enough subgenres got born. But television is too topical to be sober or intellectual as the written word – with its frowzy dressers, doughy faces, hard drinkers and thousandhours spent in front of library stacks instead of mirrors – and television knows this about itself and too knows it’s not glorious or beautiful as cinema or it wouldn’t have to sell its every fifth minute to advertisers. Television is best when it tries to be a little of both, more intellectual than cinema, more fun than print.

Television is frankly awful when it tries to lecture. There were some moments of it Saturday.

Something about Lomachenko, starting with his silly nickname, makes aspiring Homers of every speedreader and street philosopher; the mean feat of making smaller men quit fighting in frustration ascends to the historic when Lomachenko does it. Much of this, again, is his topicality; Lomachenko’s promoter, Bob Arum, knows better than any man alive if you can get your guy in front of a camera against weak opposition television’s salesmanship reliably fills every vacuum in realtime; commentary crews involuntarily enter a hyperbole duel with one another, earnestly wanting to be able to say theirs was the first to perform a historic inventory of this historic figure’s every historic quality. Some writers sometimes do this, too, especially those who hope to make it to television someday, but writing polices its own – as it did for centuries before television’s invention – dealing in credibility more than ratings.

Something about the very nature of words makes it harder to write “Lomachenko may someday be considered greater than Muhammad Ali” than it is to say it.

If there’s some tension between a pursuit of truth and a fun experience, television has to err on the fun side of things, selling the experience in a way print does not: nobody, after all, in 30 years will say he remembers the first time he read about Lomachenko, while plenty of folks now hope to have occasion to say they remember the first time they saw him. There are plenty of smart professionals in television, of course, and after thinking a bit on the proposition they realize the risk to credibility of calling every fighter the next Ali, Marciano or Robinson (or Pernell Whitaker) is dwarfed by the reward of being the first to recognize a future legend.

“Predicting,” as they say, “10 of the next two great champions.”

At the risk of losing a reader or two, I can happily report I found Miguel Roman’s victory multiples more compelling than Lomachenko’s. Wait, get back here, you two; I watched Lomachenko-Rigondeaux live, not Roman-Salido. If I wasn’t nearly first on the Rigondeaux bandwagon I did cover from ringside his sixth, ninth and 10th prizefights and recognized, with the help of a local San Antonio trainer, his multitude of talents. I wasn’t ringside for his defining win against Nonito Donaire (I was at a Natalie Merchant concert in Fort Worth, instead, and do not regret it a little) but was thrilled with the result, annoyed as I was by the hyperbole by then accrued to Donaire.

Since then I’ve been unimpressed by Rigondeaux as the rest of you. But he did do Saturday what we ask prizefighters to do once they’ve declared themselves too-feared to find opponents in their proper weightclasses. And the result was predictable. Fruity as his comportment often is, Lomachenko gives refreshingly honest postfight analyses, and his saying a corner quittage by an undersized man did not rate was my favorite thing Lomachenko did Saturday.

There’s no need to rehash the action because, over and again, it’s awfully easy to look sensational and do outlandish against a man once you know he can’t hurt you, which is why Canelo and GGG made none of the highlights against each other in September they make against smaller men.

Anyway it would be malpractice to commit any more space to that unexceptional and unsatisfying fare after a weekend when Miguel Roman retired Orlando Salido in a gorgeous attritioning of Salido’s noble spirit. Each man planned to retire if he lost, and neither man said so beforehand, which compares most favorably with the lucrative twofight sendoff HBO and Miguel Cotto just threw Miguel Cotto, no?

Roman probably won’t win his next fight without he barefoots another pathway of hot coals, which is fortunate for us and unfortunate for him. After what Roman just did to Salido at 130 pounds, with a different marketing team and promoter and momentum he might otherwise be allowed to make shortfilms about his reflexes and do otherworldly things against a bantamweight.

Bart Barry can be reached via Twitter @bartbarry