Ahead of the highly anticipated lightweight title unification bout between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez Jr., this article, originally published in October 2020, explores the challenge of facing Lomachenko. Known for his extensive amateur background (396-1 record) and rapid ascent to world titles in three divisions across just 15 professional fights, Lomachenko is considered one of boxing`s most technically gifted fighters and was widely recognized as a top pound-for-pound boxer at the time. Lopez, a young, explosive fighter with significant power and charisma, posed a serious threat to Lomachenko`s dominance.
To understand what it truly takes to compete with Lomachenko`s unique style, we gathered insights from several boxers who previously shared the ring with him. Here`s what they had to say about his skills, tactics, and the experience of facing him.
Orlando Salido: Defeated Lomachenko by Split Decision, March 1, 2014
Preparing for Lomachenko, I immediately recognized his high intelligence as a fighter. Our core strategy was to make him uncomfortable, denying him the space and time to think, by staying constantly close and throwing punches. We knew he possessed a wide array of skills, so keeping the pressure on was key that night.
My plan was to always be right there, throwing punches, preventing him from analyzing or acting. I actually avoided watching his fight videos beforehand; I prefer to see how things unfold in the ring and improvise based on his actions.
I didn`t feel significant power from his headshots during the fight, but his body punches were brutal. In the final two rounds, two hooks to the liver made me double over; I really felt those.
Lomachenko has been demonstrably superior to all the opponents he`s faced since our fight. Fighters understandably avoid him because they recognize his difficulty and exceptional skill. He moves incredibly well, boasts hand and foot speed, and is highly intelligent.
When I fought him, my tactic was to get inside and stay close, denying him distance and the chance to think. If you allow him space to think, he begins employing his side steps, movements, and tricky southpaw guard, which make him incredibly dangerous. I tried not to let him get comfortable.
I was open to a rematch, but the financial terms weren`t acceptable. I was willing to give him a chance for revenge, but I wanted fair compensation for a fight involving my previous win. In our first fight, despite being the `phenomenon` and a great fighter, he made significantly more money than me.
Prediction: I believe Lomachenko wins, either by decision or knockout. He`s the better fighter overall, with superior mobility. He`s skilled at using timing to evade punches and possesses many variations in his style.
Jose Pedraza: Lost to Lomachenko by Unanimous Decision, December 8, 2018
Lomachenko definitely possesses a very high boxing IQ. He adapts his style perfectly to each opponent. In our fight, I constantly changed my strategies when I felt he was getting the upper hand, and every time, he adapted immediately in response. Beyond that, he arrives in incredible physical condition, which is essential for executing his lateral movements and makes him an even more challenging boxer.
He is also very patient. In his fight against Jorge Linares, after being knocked down, Lomachenko seemed a bit desperate momentarily, leaving himself exposed. However, that knockdown also appeared to help him; he calmed down, returned to his methodical rhythm of pressing, and waited for the right moments, which ultimately allowed him to win.
This combination of patience and intelligence makes him a very complicated fighter to stand against.
Regarding lateral movements – you need equivalent or better physical conditioning than he has just to keep up. If he moves laterally, you have to match it, which was a key part of my strategy. I kept him at a distance and constantly moved around to avoid becoming an easy target. He finds it very easy, with his lateral movements and speed, to land against fighters who stay rooted in one spot. So, I moved and turned, and I feel I did this effectively for many rounds.
If I were to fight Lomachenko again, I would use the same fundamental strategy but be slightly more aggressive, throwing more punches. In our first fight, I used distance and avoided getting close, as close range with lateral movement and body work is his preferred zone. That`s what we aimed to prevent. But next time, I`d throw more when he tries to close the distance. If he manages to reduce the range, I`d want to throw stronger punches, be more aggressive to disrupt his rhythm and push him back.
Lomachenko is certainly a power puncher, but he doesn`t rely on it constantly throughout the fight. He uses his power at opportune times. With me, and with other opponents, he didn`t throw power shots non-stop, but he breaks you down gradually. He maintains his pace, increases pressure, and when he finds the perfect moment, he unleashes his powerful blows. And where does he aim those heavy shots? To the body. This is highly effective in Rounds 9, 10, 11, and 12 when you`re most fatigued; a hard blow to the body can be devastating.
I didn`t feel frustrated during my fight with Lomachenko. However, that`s another factor that makes Lomachenko superior to his opponents. Besides tiring them out, he frustrates them. He keeps throwing punches, and you try to find the right distance and moment to throw yours, but you can`t locate him; your punches don`t land. Meanwhile, you`re constantly getting hit. That is frustrating.
When training for Lomachenko, I was determined not to fall into that frustration or get trapped in his game. I wanted to stay absolutely focused and mentally strong, following the plan meticulously. Thankfully, I avoided getting frustrated, and we achieved something significant. While I didn`t get the victory, I gained immense respect from my fans and his. Many Lomachenko fans, boxing commentators, and media members congratulated me on the solid performance I delivered in that fight.
Prediction: Teofimo is a very good fighter, no doubt. He possesses significant talent and strength. He`s very explosive, and Lomachenko absolutely needs to be careful. However, I believe if Teofimo doesn`t achieve something decisive – a knockout or knockdown – within the first five or six rounds, he won`t be able to later. I see Lomachenko winning by decision. And watch out for a potential knockout if Lomachenko successfully frustrates Teofimo and wears him down gradually before landing his power shots. If Lopez doesn`t knock him out early, I don`t see him winning.
Anthony Crolla: Lost to Lomachenko by Knockout in Round 4, April 12, 2019
One of the major difficulties was finding appropriate sparring partners. We had to bring in a variety of sparring partners, sometimes needing three people to collectively try and replicate different aspects of what Lomachenko does well. But honestly, finding someone truly like Lomachenko is practically impossible.
I don`t think anyone in boxing has footwork as good as his. His shots are incredibly difficult to read. He is a truly unique fighter. In hindsight, I wish I had pressed him more rather than trying to box him, but we honestly didn`t anticipate him coming out with such aggression. You try to prepare for every possibility, but he`s just so versatile.
He is a complete fighter. A few things surprised me when I was in there with him. He wasn`t the *single* biggest puncher I`d ever faced, but he was very clever at disguising his power. He would land touch shots and then suddenly whip in a hard one. He was very economical with his punches, and his distance control was superb; he would see me fall short and immediately make me pay.
I remember years before I fought Lomachenko, Russ Anber, who wraps his hands, told me Lomachenko was the best fighter he had ever seen. He said Lomachenko sees moves three or four steps ahead. That memory came flooding back to me when I was lying face down on the canvas. He truly sees things happening before you even perceive them.
He masterfully sets up his moves and is always thinking ahead. He is the best fighter I have ever been in the ring with. It felt like he was just cycling through his different gears, and I had absolutely no control over what he was doing.
Prediction: I believe Lopez is a legitimate threat, and Top Rank has managed him very well. However, I just don`t think he`s the fighter who can beat Lomachenko. Lopez has certainly provoked Lomachenko with his comments in the lead-up, which might lead Lomachenko to come out more aggressively. This could potentially offer openings for Lopez to land his shots, and he is a world-class puncher, as we witnessed against Richard Commey. But my prediction is that Lomachenko will break him down, hurt him with body shots, wear him out, and stop him, likely in the eighth or ninth round.
Luke Campbell: Lost to Lomachenko by Unanimous Decision, August 31, 2019
When I was in the ring with Lomachenko, I didn`t feel like there was a huge difference in terms of skill, and honestly, many of the rounds felt close. He would often just edge a round by putting in a sharp 15-second burst right at the end. There were some rounds he clearly won convincingly, but there were also quite a few rounds I felt I won myself.
I`ve been watching Lomachenko since I was about 15 years old. Back then, he was just destroying everyone, even knocking out amateurs who had headgear, bigger gloves, and only three rounds. He used to box in the weight division above me, so facing bigger opponents has clearly never been an issue for him.
I`ve seen some press reports suggesting Lopez is too big and powerful for Lomachenko, almost portraying Lopez as a giant monster who overwhelms everyone (aside from the excellent shot that took out Commey early). These reports sometimes make it sound like Lomachenko doesn`t belong in the lightweight division, but I simply don`t buy into that.
Lopez`s only real chance to win is by knocking out Lomachenko – but personally, I just can`t see that happening. Don`t get me wrong, I genuinely like Lopez and his dad; I even did some sparring with Teofimo years ago in Miami, and I truly hope he wins. But I anticipate it being an extremely difficult fight for him, and I don`t believe he will secure the victory.
I think I`m unique among Lomachenko`s recent opponents in that he wasn`t able to maintain relentless pressure and activity against me throughout the *entire* fight, and I am physically bigger than Lopez.
Prediction: Lomachenko will break him down, just as he does to everyone else, using his incredible agility, movement, and superior boxing IQ. He is the best body puncher I have ever seen, and he consistently seems to get stronger and more relentless as the fight progresses into the later rounds. My size for the weight class allowed me to nullify some of his work. Lopez is shorter, and if he chooses to stay in the pocket or close range, he will be playing directly into Lomachenko`s strengths.
Miguel Marriaga: Lost to Lomachenko by TKO in Round 7, August 5, 2017
When we were notified about the fight with Lomachenko, we traveled from Colombia to Mexico City to prepare. Our training focused heavily on waist movements because we knew Lomachenko is a fighter who throws a high volume of punches, and we wanted to make him miss. This strategy was evident in the fight. I arrived in great physical condition, but I was fighting at a weight class that wasn`t my natural one (130 pounds instead of my usual 126). That difference in weight definitely benefited him; I could feel Lomachenko`s power.
Lomachenko is primarily a counter-puncher, and quite a strong one. My plan involved moving backward to catch him when he counterattacked. I even managed to swell his right cheekbone. This tactic worked for me against Lomachenko for a few rounds. However, the weight difference proved to be a key factor in the outcome.
His blows to the body were what I felt the most. He didn`t land much on my face because I was constantly elusive, moving my waist and head effectively, making him miss his powerful headshots. But the blows to the body were definitely felt.
His movements and turns didn`t surprise me at all. We knew that if I stayed standing directly in front of him, he would exploit it, turn to his right side, and throw punches. That`s easy for him. But because I kept moving backward, he was never at his optimal distance, and that made it difficult for him. This seemed to frustrate him slightly; at one point, he even gestured for me to come and fight him in the corner, and I obliged, wanting to test it, but it wasn`t a good decision. The best approach against Lomachenko is to maintain distance so he cannot effectively counter-attack. Lomachenko is undoubtedly one of the best fighters in the world.
To defeat Lomachenko, you absolutely must make him miss and hit him back, and hit him hard. It`s one thing to throw punches; it`s another entirely to land them against someone as elusive as he is. You need to land hard punches to take away the speed he relies on.
Prediction: Teofimo is a great boxer. He has experience, good technique, and he is a very good power puncher. That power is going to be his crucial asset. However, Lomachenko has vastly more experience at the amateur level, and even though he`s only had 15 professional fights, he has learned an immense amount. He has great stamina, throws a high volume of punches, is very elusive, and is extremely fast. I believe Lomachenko is going to beat Teofimo. Lopez is good enough that the fight could go to a decision, but I predict Lomachenko wins by knockout, perhaps around the ninth round.