PREVIEW: VASYL LOMACHENKO-JASON SOSA

 

Later this evening, the first Boxing event to be staged at the recently-opened, state-of-the-art MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland will take place. Headlining a tripleheader installment for the year’s first edition of HBO World Championship Boxing will be one of the most skilled and stylish master class technicians on the planet.
Two-time Ukrainian Olympic Gold Medalist turned two-division and current WBO Super Featherweight World Champion Vasyl “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko 7-1 (5 KOs) makes the second defense of his 130-pound strap against scrappy Camden, New Jersey native and current WBA ‘Regular’ Super Featherweight world champion Jason “El Canito” Sosa 20-1-4 (15 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round title attraction.
The ultra-skilled, athletic Lomachenko has rapidly worked his way up the mythical top 10 pound-for-pound rankings list and is considered by many media observers and Boxing analysts to be the sport’s most gifted fighter. Lomachenko has his sights set on landing the biggest fights possible and conquering the 135-pound, Lightweight division in the near future but before he can move on to his next goals, he has a determined challenger in Sosa to get past tonight.
Lomachenko figures to use his unique and well-rounded boxer-puncher skill set, which emphasises: superb lateral movement as well as in and out footwork, dazzling hand speed and creative combination punching to offset Sosa’s aggression and power punching attack. Should Lomachenko be able to use his assortment of tools like he usually does, another impressive and definitive victory either by way of a wide unanimous decision or KO/TKO should be his.
For Sosa to pull off the biggest upset on the world level of Boxing in recent memory, he will more than likely have to: impose his will, apply the kind of pressure that makes the fleet-footed Ukrainian uncomfortable and drag Lomachenko into a toe-to-toe brawl – which would create openings for Sosa to connect with some telling and damaging punches.
Simply put, Sosa has to find a way to make tonight’s WBO Super Featherweight World Title bout more of an action fight than a tactical Boxing match if he is to stand any chance of attaining a career-best victory that would instantly make him a recognized name around the world and a major player in a stacked weight range that offers several very appealing would-be match-ups.
The stage is set for tonight’s elite boxer vs rugged puncher clash. Sit back and enjoy Vasyl Lomachenko and Jason Sosa as they headline the long overdue return of the flagship Boxing program for the longtime marquee network for high-profile fights.

Is GGG hype train over?

Brooklyn March 18 at Madison Square Garden. The two best middleweights in the world got together to establish the top middleweight in the world.

The atmosphere was electric in a packed out Madison Square Garden.

 

Gennady Golovkin won a unanimous decision against Daniel Jacobs, but some observers saw the tight fight differently and his composure and timing were suspects. Photograph: Noah K Murray/USA Today Sports

 

 

Michael Buffer, the custodian of delivering the introduction to the vast majority of major boxing events introduced the two fighters. The script had been written. GGG was a heavy favorite leading into the fight.

The first few rounds were tentative with both boxers appearing to be cautious of each other’s power and GGG did not appear to be the monster in the division he is made out to be. Most respected commentators gave Daniel Jacobs the first 3 rounds simply due to the way he was making GGG miss, fighting at range and his constant lateral movement.

It was in the fourth that GGG finally caught him with two right hands that sent Jacobs reeling onto the canvas. However, it didn’t effect Jacobs that much and he had recovered soon enough.

Over the next 8 rounds, it was to and fro between the two champs, GGG the aggressor whilst Jacobs was the boxer fighting on the back foot. Jacobs was routinely told by his corner to stick to the game plan & not engage GGG, the reason for his knockdown and one which his trainer told him “was totally unnecessary”.

In the later stages of the fight, Jacobs actually had GGG on the back foot, something that GGG didn’t seem to be accustomed to and certainly didn’t deal with too well. Two of the judges gave Jacobs the last three rounds whilst one gave him two.

I gave Jacobs the fight by two rounds because he simply outboxed GGG, made him miss and took away the sense of invincibility. Whatever happened what we can say is that the first time GGG had his first stern test, he fell short. Is the hype train over?