Boxing Coverage on Sherdog.comVasyl Lomachenko Eyes Bouts with Linares, Garcia After Saturday Clash vs. Jason Sosa
Those who follow boxing already know pretty much everything there
is to know about Vasyl Lomachenko. Some of the most ardent critics
and experts of the Sweet Science foam at the mouth when he fights
and the Ukrainian and his immense talent will be on full display
Saturday night.
Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs) will put his WBO super featherweight title on the line against Jason Sosa. The two will collide in the main event of an HBO boxing card from the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Though most expect Lomachenko to roll right through Sosa (20-1-4, 15 KOs) en route to bigger, greater battles, “Hi-Tech” isn’t foolish enough to look past the New Jersey native.
“In boxing, anything can happen at any time,” Lomachenko told
Sherdog.com in a recent interview. “I don’t like to pretend —
especially in my fights — that my opponent is not at my level. I’m
going to try my best hi-tech boxing in the ring, but I know what to
look for. From what I saw of him, he’s a pretty dirty fighter. He
comes in with his head when he gets into clinches and that could be
a problem for me when we fight. I must be cautious.”
Provided Lomachenko is victorious against Sosa, the world will be eagerly awaiting to see who the two-time Olympic gold medalist will take on next. There are several elite-level opponents lurking in the shadows, waiting to fight the man that many consider the greatest amateur boxer that’s ever lived in the spotlight. With monsters hovering between featherweight and lightweight, the possibilities for mega fights are endless. But unlike most fighters who revert to their promoters to arrange fights, unwilling to call out potential foes, Lomachenko was quick to reveal who is on his radar.
“I think Linares first,” he added when pressed about which one excites him the most. “He moves very good and he throws a lot of great combinations. It would be a great fight.”
With Lomachenko being around the Sweet Science since he was a little boy and eventually progressing into the refined pugilist he is today, it’s a mystery as to how much better he can get. His movement is remarkable, his balance is impeccable and the combinations he tosses out at will are second to none. The question is, however, how can he get any better?
“Every fight is different,” he remarked. “Every time you step into the ring and fight, it all depends on what your opponents let you do. If I fight Linares or Garcia, I can do whatever I want in there, but it all depends on what they let me do. And then it’s how do I adapt when they don’t let me do things, how do I change my approach? The best fighters don’t always let you do whatever you want and it’s how you adapt against the best guys that determine how much better I can get.”
If Lomachenko defends his title and conquers Sosa like so many expect him to, maybe the boxing world will be treated to watching him taking on the Flanagans, Linareses and Garcias of the world. And if he does land those super fights, the questions of how great he can become will most certainly be answered.
The action will be televised live on HBO beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs) will put his WBO super featherweight title on the line against Jason Sosa. The two will collide in the main event of an HBO boxing card from the MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Md. Though most expect Lomachenko to roll right through Sosa (20-1-4, 15 KOs) en route to bigger, greater battles, “Hi-Tech” isn’t foolish enough to look past the New Jersey native.
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Provided Lomachenko is victorious against Sosa, the world will be eagerly awaiting to see who the two-time Olympic gold medalist will take on next. There are several elite-level opponents lurking in the shadows, waiting to fight the man that many consider the greatest amateur boxer that’s ever lived in the spotlight. With monsters hovering between featherweight and lightweight, the possibilities for mega fights are endless. But unlike most fighters who revert to their promoters to arrange fights, unwilling to call out potential foes, Lomachenko was quick to reveal who is on his radar.
“There are so many great fighters around my weight class,” he said.
“After this fight with Sosa, I would like to fight Terry Flanagan
and Jorge Linares and Mikey Garcia. Those are the three I would
like to fight.
“I think Linares first,” he added when pressed about which one excites him the most. “He moves very good and he throws a lot of great combinations. It would be a great fight.”
With Lomachenko being around the Sweet Science since he was a little boy and eventually progressing into the refined pugilist he is today, it’s a mystery as to how much better he can get. His movement is remarkable, his balance is impeccable and the combinations he tosses out at will are second to none. The question is, however, how can he get any better?
“Every fight is different,” he remarked. “Every time you step into the ring and fight, it all depends on what your opponents let you do. If I fight Linares or Garcia, I can do whatever I want in there, but it all depends on what they let me do. And then it’s how do I adapt when they don’t let me do things, how do I change my approach? The best fighters don’t always let you do whatever you want and it’s how you adapt against the best guys that determine how much better I can get.”
If Lomachenko defends his title and conquers Sosa like so many expect him to, maybe the boxing world will be treated to watching him taking on the Flanagans, Linareses and Garcias of the world. And if he does land those super fights, the questions of how great he can become will most certainly be answered.
The action will be televised live on HBO beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
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