Though Linares found marginally more success than he had a verse prior, Lomachenko finished on the right side of a fleeting exchange to squeak it.
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Moments later, he ended it.
Ukrainian boxer Vasyl Lomachenko became the world champion in the third division (first and second Featherweight, lightweight), knocking in NY and Jorge Linares.
The new WBA lightweight champ credited his father for the win: ‘My father told me, “you need to go to the body”, Lomachenko said.
The main event of the night was between Jorge Linares (44-3) and Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1) for the WBA Lightweight Title.
Lomachenko was ahead on the scorecard of judge Steve Weisfeld (86-84) through nine rounds, but he was behind 86-84 on judge Robin Taylor’s card. I’m not just an ordinary fighter like he’s fought in some cases, where they don’t know how to get out of trouble or use their hand speed or combinations.
I think it will be a decision because Linares is also very tough.
‘I wanted to continue. Adames had some good work in the fight but got sloppier as the rounds wore on.
The fighter widely known as Vasyl said this week he prefers to use Vasiliy, his legal name.
Lomachenko is now the WBO lightweight champion.
Linares did catch Loma with a sweet left uppercut with a minute remaining, but the two-time Olympian again made him pay with a stinging combo to the body.
This was despite being put down in the sixth round by his classy Venezualan opponent.
Lomachenko’s agility is like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
However, Jorge’s efforts were not enough to keep the two-time Olympic gold medalist from eventually proving that he is in fact the best pound-for-pound boxer now on the planet.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Lomachenko’s most likely opponent would be WBO lightweight champion Ray Beltran.
It was a left hook to the ribs that crumpled Linares at 2:08 of the 10th round.
Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko had the first lightweight fight with Jorge Linares from Venezuela in NY. But his knockdown of Lomachenko in Round 6, on a stiff counter right hand, shifted the momentum completely as Lomachenko fell to his rear end and needed another full round to regain his mojo. But Lomachenko wasn’t badly hurt and picked up where he left off in the next frame. The champion also endured a barrage of punches leading up to that point, every blow sapping his fighting spirit as Linares lost for the first time in five years. “It happens”, Lomachenko said. He has the reach advantage, he’s got the experience and he’s got decent enough power to give Lomachenko problems. But that was his last highlight.
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As well as being more agile, Lomachenko uses his head and foot movement to great effect, allowing him to create awkward angles. “He fought a much bigger guy who knows how to fight and wasn’t going to quit”.
