Lomachenko Not Affected In Defeat; Lopez Still Unproven With Win
By Ralph Rimpell
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 26 Oct 2020
It’s been a more than a week now since the most important fight in boxing, Lomachenko-Lopez, since the Covid19 pandemic has changed life as we know it took place with Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12KOs) being crowned the Undisputed champion (WBA,WBC, WBO, IBF) in the lightweight division (135lbs).
A few developments have come to light in the past week. Lomachenko (Loma now 16-2, 10KOs) immediately underwent right shoulder surgery because of an injury he sustained in training camp. During the post-fight interview Lopez’s assessment of Loma’s skills were as follows, “A lot of people were talking highly about him and I expected more,” Lopez also said. “Basic. It was pretty basic, honestly”, according to the Guardian news outlet.
Promoter Bob Arum suggested Loma return to the junior lightweight division (130lbs), and Lopez’s team preferring not to rematch with Loma, but rather move up a weight class to the junior welterweights to fight the winner of the Ramirez-Taylor fight for the undisputed 140lbs title.
During the Post fight interview, Loma did not mention he hurt his shoulder in training camp. Loma did say, thru a translator, he thought he had won the fight and that he would review the fight footage. Often times after fights, boxers mention that they may have had (minor) injuries that they had to endure or overcome while training. If a fighter requires a serious surgery that impacts their performance, then the fighter (Loma) did not come into the fight 100% healthy. The fight was scored 7-5 in favor of Lopez unofficially by Promoter Bob Arum. This writer is in agreement with Arum as I also scored it 7-5 in favor of Lopez.
Loma has won world titles in 3 weight divisions after 14 fights! Who does that? Loma is the one that did that. Fight fans know that there is nothing “Basic” about Loma. Lopez should say that Loma is truly “basic” if he can defeat a 100% healthy Loma. I’m sure Lopez can also “expect more” in the form of punches that Loma could not throw effectively because of an injured right shoulder.
Is the 135lbs division the best division for Loma? If Loma is going to fight opponents that rehydrate to 150lbs pounds (somewhere between welterweight and junior middleweight) on fight night, that may not be a bad idea to take Arum’s advice that Lopez was too big for Loma and he should return to 130lbs. According to CBSsports.com, even Lopez said Loma was too small, prior to the fight. What about the potential “big paydays” at 135lbs against fighters such as Ryan Garcia, Tank Davis, and a rematch with Lopez? These are all big welterweights like Lopez who all reportedly rehydrate well above welterweight in between fights. A fight with Davis is difficult to sign as Davis fights for Promotional Company PBC. Garcia fights for Golden Boy Promotional Company. The Garcia fight getting signed is easier said than making it a reality even though Golden Boy head De La Hoya has expressed an interest in making that fight happen.
THIS IS ADVICE IS FREE FROM THIS WRITER
Loma has the opportunity to reinvent himself for the second half of his career and also make “big paydays” at 130lbs (junior lightweight)! For those that need a reminder. This divisions is currently the home of:
WBC Champion Miguel Berchelt
WBA (W) Champion Leo Santa Cruz
WBA (R) Champion Rene Alvarado
IBF Champion Joseph Diaz
Former 126lbs Champ Shakur Stevenson
Former 126lbs Champion Oscar Diaz
Imagine after a tune up a fight with a top ten fighter, Loma challenges (in my opinion) Berchelt a “Pound for Pound” champion. Imagine these two fighters if the Covid19 pandemic is under control in Las Vegas with fans in attendance! That fight, in my opinion, does 1million Pay Per View Buys (PPV)! Berchelt is the best (in my opinion) at 130lbs or a 100% Loma. How about a Loma-Shakur Stevenson fight? If Loma fights any of the other fighters, Berchelt, Stevenson, and Diaz who all fight for Top Rank which means those fights can be made if the fighters agree. Loma can always move back up for the “right fight” at 135lbs, if it makes financial sense. Let’s see what Loma decides for 2021.
Teofimo Lopez is now, “The Man” (as the expression goes) in the 135lbs division at 23 years old. He and his Dad/Trainer have said they are not interested in a rematch with Loma. Lopez wants another undisputed title at 140lbs (WBA,WBC,WBO, IBF) as he has his sights on the winner of the Ramirez-Taylor winner. If he is unable to comfortably make the 135lbs division as he reportedly walks around over 150lbs, it’s not a bad idea to move up to the 140lbs division. A fight with Mike Barrios or Ismael Barros who hold different versions of the WBA 140lbs title maybe a good idea to test the waters at 140lbs. It will keep him active while he waits for a shot at the Ramirez-Taylor winner. Lopez has to prove himself that he is in fact a superstar by defeating the Ramirez-Taylor winner because he defeated an injured Loma.
Prior to the Loma fight Lopez said in reference to Loma, "He's on the way out of the sport and 135 is just too big," Lopez said DAZN's The Ak & Barak Show, as reported by CBSsports.com. If Lopez really wants to prove himself, why not challenge WBO welterweight champion Terrence “Bud” Crawford. Crawford has been calling out other fighters who have consistently avoided him. Bud was also a lightweight champion and is considered a small welterweight and Lopez and Crawford both fight for Arum. So unless Lopez defeats a healthy Loma in an unlikely rematch, defeats the winner of Ramirez-Taylor, or one or all of the welterweight champions (Crawford, Pacquiao, Ugas, Spence) he remains unproven. Let’s also see what Lopez decides as well for 2020.
Boxing Notes
According to BoxingNews.com, WBC Lightweight Campion Devin Haney says that Lomachenko (3 division champion in 14fights) needs to take his loss and move on. Hopefully, Haney defeats former 2 division champion Yuriorkis Gamboa (who is very motivated) when they fight in November. Then Haney won’t have to take his own advice if Gamboa is able to pull off an upset and defeat him…This writer really wishes former WBC 168lbs champion David Benavidez and Former WBO champion 168lbs Gilberto Ramirez would fight for the vacant WBO 175lbs belt. With the Right Promotion and cooperation, that fight is a PPV blockbuster $$$, with a possible trilogy of each fight selling at least 1million or more PPV buys.
Contact Writer: RLuvsboxing@aol.com
***Ralph Rimpell is a writer based out of New York and is a Boxing Correspondent for Philboxing.com. Ralph holds an undergraduate degree from City University of New York. He has been a Boxing Writer for over ten years having written for several top boxing websites on the World Wide Web. Before becoming a writer, Ralph's passion was for professional wrestling until he realized professional wrestling was entertainment and not a real sport. It was at that time the 1984 US Olympic team made up of future stars such as Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whitaker, etc. entered the professional ranks and signed with promotional outfit Main Events.It was also at that time a young exciting Heavyweight originally hailing from Brooklyn named Mike Tyson also turned professional and became the face of boxing. Young boxing fan Ralph just couldn't get enough of boxing as a large part of it was being broadcast on "free TV". As time went on, Ralph felt boxing writers were not being forthcoming with their boxing coverage, opinion pieces, interviews, etc. So Ralph decided to write an article and submitted it to a Boxing website thinking it would be deleted and ignored by the Editor. To Ralph's surprise his article was posted on their website and the readers embraced it. The rest is history.
"I thank God for the Internet because it has created opportunities for writers like myself who likely would not have been given an opportunity to write for print publications. I hope someday soon to expand my role in Boxing on different levels." -- Ralph Rimpell
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ralph Rimpell.
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