Will Top Rank let Lomachenko fight Rigondeaux and Mikey Garcia?

06/23/2014 Jeff Sorby

With Vasyl Lomachenko (2-1, 1 KO’s) beating one of the better featherweights in the division last Saturday night in Gary Russell Jr (24-1, 14 KO’s) in their fight for the vacant WBO featherweight title, Lomachenko has removed one of the bigger names in the division.

Easily the best options for Lomachenko to fight is super bantamweight Guillermo Rigondeaux and WBO super featherweight champion Mikey Garcia. Rigondeaux is a two-time Olympic gold medalist from Cuba with even better counter punching skills than Lomachenko and a far superior body puncher. However, Rigondeaux already took down one of Top Rank’s stars by beating Nonito Donaire with ease last year, and there’s been no attempt by Top Rank to let Donaire attempt to redeem himself.

Vasyl Lomachenko is back on track with a championship performance against Gary Russel Jr.

06/22/201406/22/2014 Ivan Ivanov

Vasyl Lomachenko delivered handsomely on Saturday night as he dismantled a capable and game but hopelessly over-matched Gary Russell Jr. The fight lived up to the expectations to some extent as boxing logic triumphed but Russell was swamped by a superior force from the start and could not bring drama and glamor to the encounter. Vasyl Lomachenko is the new WBO featherweight champion and he is only the second boxer to win a title in his third prize fight.

Loma is making some progress with the judges’ attitude, they grudgingly gave him the nod (116:112, 116:112, 114:114-?!?). The even score produced by one of them would have been hilarious rather than mysterious….if it hadn’t been grotesque. The punch stats indicate Lomachenko out landed his opponent 183:83 overall. He also landed the harder shots and held the initiative although Garry Russell Jr. threw more and missed much more. Missing so much is the definition of punching yourself out – it tires you more than landing.

Guerrero, Lomachenko, Alexander Win SHOWTIME Slugfests

06/22/201406/22/2014 Showtime Boxing

CARSON, Calif. (June 22, 2014) – Former four-division world champion Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero (32-2-1, 18 KOs), of Gilroy, Calif., capped a spectacularly exciting night of ferocious non-stop action where each fight was better than the last with a Fight Of The Year candidate 12-round unanimous decision over Yoshihiro Kamegai (24-2-1, 21 KOs), of Sapporo, Japan, Saturday on SHOWTIME®.

In a collision of two highly-skilled, exciting southpaw featherweights in the co-feature on SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING, international amateur standout Vasyl Lomachenko (2-1, 1 KO), of Ukraine, won a hard-fought 12-round majority decision over previously undefeated yet untested Gary Russell Jr. (24-1, 14 KOs), of Capitol Heights, Md., to capture the vacant WBO world 126-pound crown.

Vasyl Lomachenko and Garry Russell Jr. battle it out for the vacant WBO featherweight title

06/19/2014 Ivan Ivanov

(Picture credit: Hogan Photos) The championship fight will take place on Saturday night at the Stub Hub Center in Carson, California (Showtime) and this will be Lomachenko’s second attempt at this trophy. He dropped a highly controversial decision last time out to the overweight veteran Orlando Salido who lost the title on the scales but was somehow fouled his way to an SD.

Garry Russel Jr. and Lomachenko are both slick southpaws who boxed all their lives. Both are trained by their fathers and both train in their fathers’ gyms. They bring a lot of boxing experience and expertise and the bout should be a feast for casual fans and pundits alike. Southpaws are awkward for everyone including for each other because the fight another southpaw as rarely as anyone and they are fine-tuned to fight orthodox opponents.

Left-Hook Lounge Mailbag: Lomachenko/Salido, Chavez vs GGG, and Angulo/Canelo

03/04/2014 Vivek Wallace

Craig B. (Tampa, FL): I was very surprised to see Lomachenko lose to Salido the way he did. I noticed that you predicted Salido to win. What did you see to make you predict that way? And what are your thoughts on Lomachenko’s future?

Vivek W. (ESB): My decision to chose Salido over Lomachenko in my FaceBook prediction had a lot to do with precisely what we saw play out.

Lomachenko suffers a rude awakening in his WBO featherweight title bid against Salido

03/02/2014 Ivan Ivanov

After a confident debut in a 10 round fight, Vasyl Lomachenko attempted to make history by fighting for a title in his second fight. The fight turned out to be for a vacant title because Orlando Salido forfeited it on the scales by weighting in at 128.25 lbs. Salido did not even try to lose the extra 2.25 pounds and opted to pay the $15 000 fine rather than drain himself further. He was busy re-hydrating instead and came in at 147 pounds. Lomachenko and company were fooled from the start.

The Ukranian showed up in excellent condition and started the fight with confidence trying to work from long range. He used a lot of movement and footwork but found out his sharp shots had little effect on his rough and tough Mexican opponent. Salido kept his head low and walked through his rival’s pot shots to close in and rough him up at close range using his weight advantage.

Chavez makes weight, Salido doesn’t

02/28/201402/28/2014 Joseph Herron

From the concourse in front of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, Julio Cesar Chavez Junior dodged the first bullet from the proverbial gun of his detractors by comfortably making the contracted Super Middleweight limit of 168 pounds.

Both Chavez and Vera weighed in at approximately 167.5 pounds, with both men looking strong and having more than enough time to replenish and rehydrate, due to the unusually early 2PM EST weigh in time. After the former WBC Middleweight title holder successfully made weight, Junior held a giant replica of a voided cashiers check made out to Bryan Vera to the sum of $250,000.00.

Chavez Junior had very little to say after the official weigh in concluded.

Salido vs. Lomachenko: “Boxing 411″ analysis and video presentation

02/27/201402/26/2014 Joseph Herron

Radio show host and ring announcer Joseph Herron joins talented, young trainer Rick Morones Jr. in this comprehensive video analysis of “Salido vs. Lomachenko”, as they break down the upcoming Top Rank, Inc. special event.

This Saturday night, March 1st, from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, WBO Featherweight Champion Orlando Salido (40-12-2, 28 KOs) will defend his title against two time Olympic Gold Medal winner Vasyl Lomachenko (1-0, 1 KOs).

In this very historic bout, the highly decorated and much younger fighter will be competing for a major world title in only his second professional outing against the hard nosed veteran and proven three time world champion.

After dominating and stopping rugged Featherweight contender Jose Ramirez in his pro debut, which took place on the undercard of the Top Rank PPV event, “Marquez vs. Bradley”, the Ukrainian born technician controversially put himself in line for the highly anticipated showdown with the Mexican born title holder.

Photos: Vasyl Lomachenko Ready to Make History

02/13/201402/12/2014 Top Rank

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and 2013 Prospect of the Year VASYL LOMACHENKO (1-0, 1 KO), is in a hurry to make his mark, and in only his second professional fight, he will be challenging three-time world featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO for Salido’s World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title. The Salido-Lomachenko world championship fight will be televised live from the Alamodome, Saturday, March 1, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will also feature the eagerly-anticipated 12-round rematch between former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA.

Salido Has a Message for Lomachenko

02/13/201402/12/2014 Top Rank

For three-time world featherweight champion ORLANDO “Siri” SALIDO boxing has been about perseverance and overcoming the odds, and in 17 days his mettle will be tested once more as he puts his world title on the line against two-time Olympic gold medalist, VASYL LOMACHENKO (1-0, 1 KO), considered by many to be the best amateur boxer in the history of the sport. The Salido-Lomachenko WBO featherweight championship fight will be televised live from the Alamodome on Saturday, March 1, on HBO World Championship Boxing, beginning at 9:45 p.m. ET/PT. The telecast will also feature the eagerly-anticipated 12-round rematch between former World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion and Son of the Legend JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ JR. and Top-Five contender and two-fisted Texan BRYAN VERA.