WBA (Super), WBO and The Ring lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko takes on Luke Campbell on Saturday, trying to add the vacant WBC belt to his already impressive resume.
The fight starts around 5:00 PM ET, with coverage from ESPN+ and Sky Sports. Lomachenko is a heavy favorite to win the fight, he is quicker than Campbell and he has the technique to neutralize his height and reach disadvantage. Can Campbell get the upset win and shock the boxing world?
These fighters have an opponent in common, Jorge Linares. Campbell has a split decision loss against him while Lomachenko stopped him with a punch to the liver in the tenth round of their bout.
Lomachenko Has Impressive Resume
Vasyl Lomachenko (13-1, 10 KOs) went 396-1 in amateur fights and he has 13 wins 14 bouts as a professional. The former featherweight and super featherweight became the fastest three-weight world champion in history after his win against Jorge Linares on May 12, 2018 at lightweight.
The pound-for-pound No. 1 in the world won Olympic gold in Beijing 2008 as a Featherweight and in London 2012 as a Lightweight and he captured the WBO World Light Title after his unanimous decision victory against Jose Pedraza on December 8. ‘Hi-Tech’ then knocked out Anthony Crolla in the fourth round of their bout on April 12 in Los Angeles.
“He is tall, he has a big reach, he is a smart boxer and has a high boxing IQ,” Lomachenko said.
“He also has lots of amateur experience so maybe for me it will be a big challenge. I never think about being unbeatable, I just do my job and train hard. When I come in the ring I believe I win.”
Campbell Has Height And Reach Advantage
Luke Campbell (20-2, 16 KOs) also won an Olympic gold medal in London 2012 (as a Bantamweight) and he got his career back on track after a surprising loss to Yvan Mendy on December 12, 2015 by winning five consecutive fights to earn an opportunity to challenge for a world title against Jorge Linares on September 23, 2017 at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
‘Cool Hand’ lost the bout via split decision after giving Linares all he had and he won his next three fights via stoppage against Troy James, Adrian Yung and a rematch against Mendy.
“It will be the toughest challenge of my career but I’m up for it,” Campbell told BBC Sport. “He’s a class fighter. He can do everything. You don’t get ranked like he is for nothing do you? But how do I get in that list? I’ll tell you how, 31 August. I believe I am the best and everybody will see in this fight. This is a mega fight here in the UK. We have not had a fight like this in a long time. Two guys, both at the top of their game, fighting off.”
Campbell’s height and reach advantage has to be exploited if he wants to surprise Lomachenko unless. Lomachenko’s hand speed, technique and footwork are on a different level for Campbell and is hard to expect him to get the upset win. I see Lomachenko finishing this fight in the late rounds.
Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell Odds
*All odds and betting info courtesy of OddsShark and originally posted by BetOnline
Luke Campbell +963
Vasyl Lomachenko -1563
Pick: Lomachenko in Round 7 to 9 at +300
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