Former pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko had quite a lot to say to the gathered media ahead of his May 20 fight with defending unified lightweight champ Devin Haney. And quite a lot of what Loma had to say was not about Haney. Lomachenko stated how, in his mind, he has “never lost a professional fight,” with the Ukrainian saying he did not deserve to lose the two decisions he did lose; to Orlando Salido and, more recently, Teofimo Lopez.
And Loma, 17-2(11) said he would be interested in a fight with Japanese superstar, “Monster” Naoya Inoue, this at 126 pounds. 35 year old Lomachenko, speaking with Fight Hub, began by explaining why he feels he is still an undefeated fighter.
“Look, in my mind I didn’t lose any fight in professional boxing – in my mind,” Loma said. “So that’s why I sleep very well. In my mind [I’m still undefeated]. If you understand boxing you saw a situation about [Orlando] Salido, from weigh-in to finish. Then his hand goes up. During the fight, how many low blows was [there]? And I think I didn’t lose on the points. I said before, the same situation with [Teo] Lopez. I didn’t feel I lost this fight.”
It’s interesting what Loma has had to say, and a fan could indeed argue that Lomachenko deserved the decision that went Salido’s way all those years ago. As for the Lopez fight, it’s tough to agree with Loma, who basically gave away the first six or seven rounds of that fight, this by not letting any punches go. Yet when he did come on, Loma won the rounds apart from the final one. Again, a close decision. Put it this way, no man has ever dominated Loma in a fight, far from it in fact.
But how would a fight go between Loma and “Monster” Inoue? This one, if it happened, would be a real and genuine Dream Fight. Huge puncher Vs. hugely gifted boxer. And of course, Inoue can box also, while Loma can punch with authority also.
“Maybe,” Loma said when asked if he’d fight Inoue. “I forgot how to make weight so I need to try to make 126. But it’s always interesting fighting with top fighters close to our weight class. [I’ve seen Inoue] fight and he has the power and he’s a top fighter, he’s a world champion. And it’s always interesting to watch the fighters who love, who respect, who understand boxing.”
Inoue has yet to box his 122 pound debut; this to come in July, against two-belt champ Stephen Fulton. Anything can happen in boxing, but would Inoue look at moving up in weight again after just one fight at super-bantamweight? Of course we’d all for sure as hell tune in if Lomachenko and Inoue, two modern day greats, did fight one another!
In the meantime, however, Loma has the small matter of the Haney fight to deal with. And when we look at the sheer size difference between champ and challenger, it’s clear how lofty a task Loma has on his hands for May 20.