Vasyl Lomachenko Dreams Of “Getting Salido back into the ring”

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Vasyl LomachenkoLomachenko and handlers doing well with connecting to American fan base

Vasyl Lomachenko is arguably the greatest amateur boxer in the history of the sport: he won two Olympic gold medals in two different weight classes and compiled a 396-1 record with his only loss avenged twice. However, amateur stats don’t carry over into the pro ranks, and now Lomachenko looks to make a name for himself professionally.

At the Top Rank media day on Tuesday for the Bradley-Rios card, the media caught up with Vasyl Lomachenko. The former amateur standout spoke both Russian and English to the reporters, a sign that he wants to be not only a global star but a star in America.

Top Rank and Lomachenkos people who are advising him are doing a terrific job of marketing Vasyl in the United States. Making him mix in a bit of English to his native tongue at press conferences is a practice that all foreign-born fighters who come to America should attempt.

It shows that one respects and cares about the country that he is fighting in. American fighters should do the same thing when they fight in another country. It isn’t too out of the way for a fighter to say a few sentences in a language that he does not speak.

Lomachenko in his interview told fans what they should expect to see from him when he steps in the ring. “”I want to bring something new to boxing.  I want to be known to fans and appreciated as a ‘boxer-painter’ in regards to speed, footwork, punching power — an art form inside the ring..”

It is true that Vasyl has a little bit of everything when he steps into the ring. He can be a technician, an inside fighter, a slugger, a pure boxer: you name it. The term “boxer-painter” is a perfect way to describe Loma to someone who has not seen him fight.

He then continued by listing some of his favorite American fighters from the past that he has watched and studied,

“I have looked at videos of many great champions like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Frazier, who each had special qualities.  I never say one particular fighter is the best ever because each has a special unique style of fighting..”

Furthermore, he connected to American fans by listing the names of Ali, Robinson, and Frazier as some of his influences and favorite fighters. He could have listed any three great boxers, but he listed three of the greatest American champions in the history of the sport.

For Vasyl’s fight, this Saturday night in Vegas, his opponent he is facing is not a bad fighter by any standards. However, he is one that Lomachenko should either KO or shutout quite painlessly. Thus, the question is what is next for Vasyl?

“Who would I like to fight some day?  Getting Salido back into the ring would be something I would like to see.”

Orlando Salido is Lomachenkos lone loss as a pro in his short career, and considering Vasyl avenged his lone loss in the amateurs twice, it is not a surprise that he wants Salido back in the ring.

Vasyl Lomachenko is a truly unique talent in the sport of boxing. He has only been a pro for a little over three years, but is already making serious noise in the 126-pound division.

If you want to see Lomachenko paint his masterpiece in the ring, watch Bradley-Rios on HBO Saturday, November 7 at 9:30 where Vasyl will be on the undercard defending his WBO Featherweight belt.