This doesn’t move the needle for me regarding Loma. I think the 14 month layoff had an effect as well as fighting someone naturally bigger and stronger. Credit to Lopez as he answered a lot of questions about whether he can handle the big stage, and if he can be the star everyone says he can be. He fought his fight, kept his composure and finished strong in the 12th to halt Lima’s comeback. With that being said, I still felt Loma was the better fighter in the ring last night and I’d still favor him if there were a rematch.
14-2? Most of his opponents being at the most 2nd tier boxers. Winning multiple championships in this era of too many belts ( 4 per weight class) where its far easier to pick up multiple titles. So yes when one looks at it neutrally without crazed fan perspective it was way to early to use the word "very good" in relationship to him and much less the word "great". By the way, so many post I've read today are pointing out the size difference between Loma and Lopez. But when I pointed out a few years ago the size difference between Loma and Rigo, and also Rigo's age and being past prime some of you very same posters were screaming from the mountain I was making excuses for him. Sooooo, it was ok for Loma to outsize, Rigo, but not for Lopez to outsize Loma. So who's making excuses now? Loma was never as good as some of you were ranting about, their was nothing HI-Tech or special about his fighting skills. He was a product of poor competition, over saturation of the media.
LOL, no. He’s 32 years old and coming off the biggest activity layoff of his life. His career was on a ticking clock and the shutdown seemed to waste the last of what he had left. He’s looked to be a lower level of fighter since moving up to Lightweight, in truth, but I still didn’t envisage Lopez beating him.
Lomachenko was nowhere near as good as people were saying he was. He's a quality fighter though. He's only had 16 official professional fights, or 22 if you include the "world series of boxing" fights. Yes, the quality of opposition for a 16 (or 22) fight career is relatively high but nowhere near enough to get him favourably compared to the historical elite. One of the problems with boxing these days is the energy the media and the fans put into hyping up a fighter (often one who moves up the divisions) to be "pound for pound best". It's really a nonsense title. And any names that get thrown in the short list tend to get hyped to death.
Yeah, he just looked like a good boxer to me, a very good boxer, pretty much orthoox of the 'old soviet' style. All these internet experts talking as if he was displaying cutting edge skills, revolutionizing techniques that fighters 30, 50, 70 years old weren't familiar with, I never understood that.
I think Lomachenko is better at 126 or 130 pounds and he could possibly carve out a new reign in one of those divisions and go down as an ATG.
Floyd had 21 months off after Hatton, Leonard had 5 yrs of before Hagler. So, Lomanchenko was never that good in the first place for me.
On point J. It's what I also saw with that old USSR style. I saw so many flaws in what he did in the ring and pointed them out well before this loss. Also his opposition not having the foot speed (Or know how?) To keep their lead foot outside his lead foot, and generally force him to go in a direction he wasn't accustomed too. Lopez was able to do that the majority of the of the bout . Loma had no answer for that , and looked loss for most of the fight. By the way Before everyone jump on Lopez's bandwagon and swear too the God's how he would've stopped Whitaker and Duran on the same night, take a step back , breath in, and compose yourself. This was only Lopez's 16th pro fight. I saw plenty of flaws in his fighting style most real ATG'S would've feasted on if he made the same mistakes against them. (Duran would've killed him, early) But his saving grace is he's still very young, he unlike Loma has enough time to learn the skills needed to be mentioned with the best ever.
Lomachenko could be considered an all time talent. Except he crosses his feet way too much. Rocky needs to teach him footwork.