This is an intriguing matchup. Noone outboxes Loma. Inoue would need to catch Loma with something big, which I don't believe is possible given Loma has fought huge 135 pounders and Inoue is coming up from 122. It may also be harder for Loma to make 126 these days. That being said, Loma would be undisputed at 126, 130 and 135 if boxers didn't duck him and the officials didn't screw him.
Loma is already tried and failed. He lost to the likes of Lopez, Haney. He is highly overrated and doesn't deserve to be compared to Inoue. I think the comparison should be made between Inoue and Crawford.
Cope with what, exactly? Healthy weight loss involves cutting excess fat, not functional muscle mass. Loma has no excess fat to cut. You transitioned to "water weight" to argue a point that was not being discussed. A fighter can theoretically cut muscle and drop the water, but it will be catabolic and, ultimately, detrimental for someone not only cutting weight, but also needing to train hard for a championship fight. Fighters don't move down in weight for a reason. Loma himself has not discussed moving down to 126 (LOL) for any reason, so what you are speculating on is pure fantasy. Just enjoy him at 135. He's a lightweight now.
Man, "you people" never learn. Beating up LWs doesn't make him an invincible featherweight. Manny Pacquiao was beating WW HoFers and winning titles at 154 but still getting KOd by 126ers. The great Roy Jones Jr won a title at HW and 2 fights later got KOd down at LHW. Bad news for the size queens (the boxing ones) but Inoue outboxes Loma in a close one and then KOs him late
Loma said he was willing to go to 126 to fight Inoue: This content is protected Probably much more willing now. A year from now and that fight might make Saudi money AND be held at the Japan National Stadium.
In that same quote being referenced, he literally admits that he's forgotten how to cut the weight and would need to get back down to 126 before seeing how he'd feel. [url]https://www.boxing247.com/boxing-news/naoya-inoue-vs-vasiliy-lomachenko-at-126-pounds-who-wins/261039[/url] This was also before the Haney fight. He's older and more than a year has passed now. If he goes down to 126 to fight Inoue, he is getting stopped. 130 might be doable for him.
Doesn't matter. Inoue will fight for belts at 126 and Loma isn't part of that. Inoue won't be interested.
It's interesting because I remember the Lopez fight and until the 7th round running was the majority of what he was doing. It could have been an injury like I remember some saying. To fully respect the ability of both boxers I will theorize Lomachenko at his peak as well as Inoue. Naoya's boxing ability and punching power have both translated well into 122 lbs. however I wonder how he would be affected should he have to gain 4 extra pounds? In addition, we should consider the fact that most boxers gain weight after the day of the weigh-in. This would include Lomachenko who really should have been considered a lightweight in his featherweight bouts as well as a junior welterweight or welterweight in his lightweight bouts. For the sake of simplicity we'll say both fighters walk into the ring weighing 126 lbs. Naoya Inoue, as far as I'm concerned, is a boxer/puncher with only one weakness. That being; he isn't as skilled at boxing in the pocket as he is on the outside. That's not to say he isn't skilled on the inside because he is. Just not as much as at mid-range and out-range. Lomachenko, on the other hand, is talented at boxing from all three ranges however only on the front foot. When moving backwards he almost becomes helpless. The only thing he knows how to do is jump backwards trying to get as much space between himself and his opponent as possible when they try punching him. Inoue, in my opinion, would learn this very quickly and adjust accordingly. I believe there is a slim chance he would be knocked out in this fight but not likely. He was tough in his prime. Tough enough to take a punch from an Inoue who's moved up to 126 lbs. Still, he would be outclassed rather considerably. I have Inoue winning 8 rounds with one knockdown in a 12-round fight.
