IS LOMA OVERRATED?
I WATCHED the Vasyl Lomacnenko-Luke Cambell fight, and there is no doubt that “Loma” is a class act. Cambell is a good fighter and Loma a very, very good fighter. However, is Loma a truly great fighter, or even the best ever, as the Sky Sports commentators enthused? Would Lomachenko really have beaten Roberto Duran at lightweight or Manny Pacquiao? In my humble opinion, I don’t think so. I believe both would have beaten Loma. Indeed, what if Loma had fought a prime Floyd Mayweather at lightweight? Now that would be an interesting one and as much as I am not a Mayweather fan, I can’t see Loma beating him either. I know it’s very difficult to match fighters from differing eras, and I guess all that can be really said is that in today’s era Loma is a great, no doubt. Furthermore, he is certainly one of the greatest ever, but the greatest ever? No.
STUART GREENBERG
BRAVO, BOTH
DURING his ring walk, it appeared momentarily that Luke Campbell had developed cold feet competing against Vasyl Lomachenko and had judiciously swapped places with the chiselled soccer star, Cristiano Ronaldo. But no, his courage had not deserted him after all. In fact, it stood by the Hull man throughout the fight for three world lightweight titles, in which he enjoyed clear moments of success. How often does one feel that a talented boxer’s survival until the end of a match is a thrilling victory in itself? Only when he shares the same ring as a fistic genius – in this case, “The Matrix”. One second, the Ukrainian was in front of Campbell, the next moment he had vanished, and was boxing “Cool Hand” Luke’s ears off, following a magical 180 degrees pirouette. The 2012 Olympic bantamweight champion acquitted himself throughout the contest to the very best of his ability. There was no shame whatsoever in coming up short against the most talented boxer in the world, and perhaps one of the greatest who ever laced on gloves. It was a heart-warming privilege to witness such a classy and sporting contest.
GAVIN LITTAUR
SHADES OF VALERO
CHARLIE EDWARDS kept hold of his world title by the way of a no contest decision against Mexico’s power punching whirlwind Julio Cesar Martinez. Rewind several moments from the outrageous foul committed by the Mexican, the barrage of powerful accurate punches was nothing short of elite level and reminded of Venezuela’s Edwin Valero. If the Mexican can avoid a repeat of his foul play, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
JAMIE INGLEBY
FURY-ALLEN NEXT?
HOW about Hughie Fury vs Dave Allen as a heavyweight fight? Fury got beat by a 39-year-old Alexander Povetkin on Saturday so why not bring him back against Allen? They’re in the same stable so, Eddie Hearn, why not pick this out? The “White Rhino” is tough so let’s make it happen.
GRAHAM PEARMAN
