Yes, which for this division is knocking on retirement's door - and his performances have been inconsistent the last couple of years. This morning was vintage stuff, but...
That's what I've been saying! Let Loma clean out feather (not counting Haymon fighters for obvious reasons), which shouldn't take long. Vetyeka in the summer, Walters late this year, Gradovich (assuming he still champion early next (March or Feb)), then have Loma move up and challenge Uchiyama like in May or June. I have confidence Loma can get all of this done, but will Top Rank allow him to be great? Didn't Uchiyama express interest in coming to the States? If so the Loma fight can be that fight!
Though, I'd rather Lomachenko fight a champion and win it from him, rather than win another vacant title, like when he beat GRJ for the vacant WBO title.
Miura holds the WBC belt. :deal If he doesn't get his unification rematch with Uchiyama, a clash with Lomachenko would be just what the doctor ordered to balm the wound!
Oh, sorry. Didn't realize that. Or, Lomachenko could get the vacant WBA title, and fight Miura in a unification fight.
Yeah, that would be sweeeeet. It would almost make up for Uchiyama vs. Miura II not happening. (but hopefully it does - and then Lomachenko moves up to challenge the unified champ)
So am I the only one that wants to see Lomachenko vs Uchiyama over Lomachenko vs Miura. Don't get me wrong I want to see both, but a win over Uchiyama would be bigger. By next year Yama will be 5 years into his reign with 10 or 11 titles defenses (I might be mistaken but that's definitely one of the longest reigns in that weight class), a win over him propels Loma's career. Now I understand that people might not want to see Loma move out of Featherweight just yet, I agree to a certain extent. But a quick review of the Featherweight division and it's actually not as deep as one might think. You have Walters, Vetyeka, Gradovich/Selby. We can't count the Haymon fighters since those fights probably won't happen: Russell II (excuse after excuse yet didn't he say he didn't want the rematch), Mares, Santa Cruz(won't do a thing to Loma's career, Cruz probably won't fight him) and Cuellar. There is also Rigo but he's in no hurry to move up although his fans (I'm a fan btw) say that Rigo would kill Loma. IMO there is more stylistic match ups at 130 for Loma to test himself. Since Uchiyama will probably retire soon, might as well get him first.
Good performance against an albeit undersized and over-matched opponent. Still, shows how good Inoue really is.