Jorge Linares vs Vasyl Lomachenko: Boxing's recent streak of great matchmaking continues

Boxing has picked up its matchmaking in the last couple of years, and that trend continued with the announcement that Vasyl Lomachenko will once again step up in weight to challenge Jorge Linares for the WBA lightweight title on May 12 at Madison Square Garden.

Two of the world’s most enchanting pugilists will go toe-to-toe in the fight sport mecca in a meeting full of intrigue and allure for the diehard fan. It’s a chance for the Ukrainian to continue his quest to rack up the world titles at different weights, and yet Linares will offer a serious test of Vasyl’s potential to transcend the divisions and prove himself as the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer.

The veteran Jorge will see the bout as a reward for his 13-fight and multi-championship winning streak, a run that included a three-bout spell of taking two of Britain’s best lightweights – Anthony Crolla and Luke Campbell – to school. And of course, the Venezuelan has no intention of merely viewing the fight as little more than a pat on the back.

“I am in Japan, happy, because at last the opportunity that we have waited for.. for so long, that I dreamed about so much in my career, because after 47 fights and thanks to sacrifice, here comes the reward,” said Linares.

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“Now we are going to prepare at double or triple the rate, we are going to go against the best pound for pound fighter in Vasyl Lomachenko and, well, everything is ready and armed. Now, we need to do a good preparation. We are eight weeks away from the big fight.

“You can’t just create one tactic, you have to be prepared for the three distances of fighting.. the short, medium and long. We do not know how he is going to come out, (Lomachenko) is a smaller fighter than me, he is coming from a division below and he will not have the advantage of reach like I do. Because of the strength I have in my favor, I must be prepared for what has to happen.

“(Vasyl) is a pretty fast fighter, but he does not have the punch that I have. Obviously I will be prepared for the three options, he does not like the short distance. I don’t like the mid-range because he is a fast fighter, but I also like the long range, because I am long and I have enough reach.

“I have to be smart and we have to work by different fighting tactics in each round, because he is a boxer who also changes his strategy in each round, who makes different combinations and also changes his footwork.”

Freddie Roach used to train Linares, but like many in the industry cannot see beyond a Lomachenko win. That being said, there has been enough in Jorge’s recent form to spark his curiosity.

“Linares is a solid fighter,” Roach said. “He still has some fight left in him. It should be an interesting fight.

“Obviously, you’ve gotta like Lomachenko in the fight, though.
“He is one of the best up-and-coming guys now, and the other guy might be getting too old.”

Although less than three years separate the two combatants, Lomachenko has taken nowhere near as much punishment as Linares has absorbed during a 47-fight, 15-year career.

“That could be a big, big factor in the fight, of course,” Roach explained.

“Lomachenko is moving up in weight classes and guys are bigger and bigger punchers. He did lose once already [to Orlando Salido] and he hasn’t fought a similar style yet [to the way Linares fights].

“But his opponent this time is not a pressure guy, either, and he’s a really hard guy to out-box. He’s a very clever, clever boxer.”