Vasyl Lomachenko: Enter the Matrix

Vasyl Lomachenko: Enter the Matrix
By: Francisco Martinez

April 8th Vasyl Lomachenko enters the ring once again and his opponent Jason Sosa will step into the matrix and experience what Lomachenko calls hi-tech. Both fighters have an opponent in common in Nicholas Walters. Sosa went the distance in a majority decision loss to Walters in a fight many thought he actually won. Lomachenko confused and systematically picked apart Walters until Walters had enough and refused to come out for the 8th round. A decision he made on his own as his team pleaded with him to continue fighting but chose not to after realizing he was starting to take a beating and hadn’t won 1 single round prior to the decision of not wanting anymore of Vasyl Lomachenko after 7 perplexing rounds.

Vasyl Lomachenko is arguably the best pound for pound fighter today but to his own account he would humbly disagree and rank others ahead of himself like placing Gennady Golovkin at #1 and Sergey Kovalev along with Terence Crawford in the number 2 and 3 slots. However his team speaks more confidently about Lomachenko as Russ Anber of Rival Gear fame who’s not Lomachenko’s trainer but contributes to the World Boxing Gymnasium formerly known as the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. Anber says this about Lomachenko

“I think he already is (number one pound for pound fighter today) and my argument is when people say, we really can’t consider him because he’s only had 8 pro fights, that’s the reason you should consider him because no other pound for pound great in boxing history (was) even Sugar Ray Robinson wasn’t considered pound for pound great when he only had 8 fights that’s the reason you should consider him. I mean no one has done what this guy has done. You have to give credit where credit is do, I mean this guy has done it now to me. He’s considered or if you don’t want to give him the position or you just consider him nobody has been considered that so early in a pro career. He’s a phenom, there hasn’t been anybody like him in boxing history and I’m talking all the greats. The closes one to probably have that was Roy (Jones Jr.) and they didn’t get him the fights that he wanted at that time but besides him there’s no one this guy is a phenom”

Vasyl Lomachenko’s strength and conditioning coach, Cicilio Flores who’s one of the top S & C coaches in boxing having worked with Sergio Martinez in the primed years of his career knows a special fighter when he sees one and Lomachenko is just that as he explains the differences and similarities between both unique pugilists “you know, they’re two different animals but what they have in common is their mind set and their work ethic, he works hard. They have that movement because it works for them but it’s their freaking mind set man and there’s a couple of moves Lomachenko would do that I would say, wow he looks like Sergio but they train hard man. I remember vividly Sergio’s goal was to become the pound for pound best fighter but Lomachenko is doing it faster he’s in a speed boat, you know and it’s beautiful to see and we’re watching history and it’s beautiful to be apart of”

With possible showdowns in the loom for Vasyl Lomachenko against the likes of Mikey Garcia, Terry Flanagan, Jorge Linares and even Manny Pacquiao, Lomachenko won’t allow himself to slip up “Yeah I want these fights” states a Pacquiao showdown will only be at 135lbs “if we’re talking about 135lbs it would be an interesting fight for me I think not for Manny…he’s has a lot of years and after 30 years, 31 years your (hand) speed slows down” Lomachenko sounding confident that he can match up against the Filipino Icon, Pacquiao but doesn’t allow himself to get too ahead of the conversation before saying it would be to no respect of his April 8th rival in Jason Sosa if he didn’t focus on the task at hand which could be detrimental to his own position and future plans of these possible mega fights.

As great and as flawless as Vasyl Lomachenko has performed he does have a style which he finds a little complicated for himself “all the people know it’s just one style, the Mexican style. I don’t hear about another style. For me it’s Mexican style and second style, I have one more style, Lomachenko style, that’s it” words of confidence by Lomachenko hinting his style isn’t of the norm which many won’t argue for there’s a reason they call him the Matrix.

April 8th Jason Sosa will meet Hi-Tech, Vasyl Lomachenko in a 12 round bout for Lomachenko’s WBO 130lbs title on HBO in the MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill in Maryland a pivotal fight to the possible future mega showdowns with Mikey Garcia and even Manny Pacquiao. In this card you’ll also have Lomachenko’s country men in Alex Gvozdyk a highly touted 175lbs prospect along with Oleksandr Usyk who’s considered by most the best cruiserweight at the moment and will be defending his WBO title.

So tune in this April 8th live on HBO for a glimpse at the present in boxing with Vasyl Lomachenko and the future of boxing with Alex Gvozdyk & Oleksandr Usyk. Follow complete coverage leading up to fight night by using #HBOboxing