The historic significance of Loma Vs. Rigo

Loma is in a pickle here, and credit to him for taking the fight, even though he is younger and bigger. If he wins easily, it just going to look like the younger, bigger man picking of the remains of a once great fighter.

If Rigo makes a good fight of it, though, the historical significance will be seen as substanstially bigger. Especially if Rigo wins.

But the size difference and uncertainty of what Rigo has left makes it hard to call it historic beforehand. I'm more excited about it than I can remember being for any other fight, though.

 

Yeah, as great as Rigondeaux is, I just can't see how beating an old fighter who's small at 122 would be all that historical of a win for a top 130-lber. Would be a very high-level ATG win for Rigondeaux though, if he's able to pull it off.

 

I think Rigo....Is got to be a great CHAMPION.. I loved what he said...If I do not try to fight the very best?

Then I cannot call myself a champion. I am not nuts about his style of fighting--I wasn't nuts about Mayweather either.

But I think we can enjoy the sport... & remember this is the sport where PLAY is not spoken first.

I do think Lomo is to big for him.. But this will be exciting o see them dance.

 

The risk-reward profile is definitely in Rigo's favor.

It's easy to craft a no-win scenario for Loma, and plenty will. Whether he wins easy, wins tough, or loses, "fans" can find a way to punish him for it.

 

Loma is not in a good position here, lose-lose really but he always said he wants to fight the best opponents available to him and I think despite the age and size difference Rigo still is. So, kudos for that.

 

It is a rare matchup that features two fighters who won Olympic gold not once each, but twice.
I do not see how Lomo is in a pickle here. If he wins, as I suspect he will, he could be viewed as being the top pound for pound boxer in the sport.

While beating Guillermo Rigondeaux can only be seen as a big win, my hunch Lomochecnko due to his pressure, fantastic skill set, and willingness to mix it ups the value.

I cannot see Lomo coasting to win the way Mayweather sometimes did, nor can I see him winning by using spoiler type of tactics. He will win by taking the fight to his opponent. Fighters who do this get extra credit for winning in that kind of way.

I not wholly dismissing Rigondeaux's chances because he is very skilled too, but on styles, the relentless boxer with better power and better footwork ( Lomo ) usually outclassed the slick boxer type with less power ( Rigondeaux )

Vasyl Lomachenko to me is a special once in a generation type of fighter. He is so skilled; I struggle to compare him pass greats due to the versatility of his talents. The best south paw ever? Could be.

 

Oh, yes. A win for Rigo, without any controversy, would probably be the greatest since Leonard-Hagler. Especially if Loma continues looking great against other opponents.

 

You can get Lomachenko inside the distance for even money.

I usually don't get too excited about lower weight match-ups but this fight does have something special about it. If Rigo can somehow pull off the upset it would be massive.

Perhaps Frampton and co would find their balls if Rigo became a draw overnight depending on what transpires this weekend. Actually, that probably only happens if he looks shot.

 

Well, with Ward gone he already is more or less. But anything but a blowout won't help his legacy much, I think.

There's really three weight classes between them (Rigo is small at 122) and 8 years. If you're p4p ranked you're expected to clearly beat anyone that much smaller than you. I mean, would we give Golovkin props for beating a small WW? Especially one who only has 1 round of competitive action for close to 2,5 half years and who might have aged substantially since last he met a live opponent?

Almost anything Loma achieves in this fight can be easily discredited. Perhaps not totally fair, but the fact is that we don't really know where we have Rigo going into this fight. Loma has never been better, but Rigo can be some way past his best. If he looks bad in the fight, chances are that age, inactivity and size disadvantage will get more credit for that than Loma - right or wrong.

 

Based on the (old) age of Rigondeaux, the size disadvantage of Rigondeaux, and both fighters' relatively scant pro experience, I find very little "historical" significance in this fight. On paper, quite frankly, it looks like a bit of a mismatch. That being said, I will definitely watch it. And, if Rigo wins, it will be an impressive victory.

 

You bring up a good topic. The lower weights do not fight at their weight. They drain themselves of fluid to make weight, then re-hydrate, often weighing 2-3 divisions above the weight class they are fighting in!

So the real question is what has Guillermo Rigondeaux been on un-official sales the night of the fight? I bet it well above the featherweight limit, possibly higher than lightweight. So is he really that much smaller? Smaller for sure but I bet they both enter the ring within 6-8 pounds of each other

Lomo fights at his natural weight.

The winner here should receive props. Guillermo Rigondeaux is in-defeated and was a star amateur as well.

Would I give GGG props for beating a welter? He didn't get the best welters or jr middles like Mayweather, or Cotto, but I give him some credit if he beat either.

No way that Thurman or Specne, arguably the two best welters today would fight GGG.

 

I think that Rigo's highest unofficial weight has been 126 lbs and Lomo's something like 138-139. Rigo is usually the much smaller guy even when fighting in his own division. He'd make 118 lbs without any problems.

On Saturday he'll likely be around 130 lbs, though.

I personally wouldn't hike Golovkin in the p4p rankings if he beat Spence, and I don't think he gained anything in anyones eyes p4p when he beat Brook. That's what he's supposed to do. If anything he lost something of his aura, even though Brook only lasted 5 rds.

For me, though, much of Loma's weight and height advantage might be cancelled by Rigo having the reach advantage. So the whole thing with size is a bit relative. But usually a fighter don't get that much credit for beating someone two weight classes below.

Gomez, Nelson and Chavez all came up one class, though, and beating them counted for a lot. In the ring there weren't much size difference to speak of in these cases, though, while Rigo is clearly smaller in terms of height and weight. There's also the question about how much age will affect him.