Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Nicholas Walters
Just one week after the mega-fight between Sergey Kovalev and Andre Ward another Eastern European star will be in action. That star is Vasyl Lomachenko and he will be taking on the heavy handed Nicholas Walters. On the line in this fight will be Lomachenko's WBO junior lightweight title, a belt who took off of Roman "Rocky" Martinez in his last fight. Like Kovalev and Ward this is a fight that has been talked about long before it actually was made and for hardcore boxing fans this is one of the best fights the sport can make.
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| Lomachenko was dominant against Martinez |
There is no doubt that Lomachenko is one of the most skilled southpaws in boxing, and really he is one of the most skilled fighters regardless of stance. Not only does the Ukrainian fighter have sniper-like accuracy but his hands are also incredibly fast. What makes that hand speed so dangerous is the fact that Lomachenko's mind works just as fast in the ring and he is always figuring out ways to beat his opponent. Lomachenko likes to work behind a quick jab and behind it he will throw an array of left hooks and straight right hands and while he may not be a one punch knockout artist he does have enough pop to earn respect and end fights. The footwork of Lomachenko is also excellent, and probably the best in the sport.
Lomachenko hasn't just been an impressive professional. As an amateur Lomachenko put together one of the best records ever and he won medals in various events. On his amateur resume are a gold medal from the European Championships, a silver and two golds from the World Championships, and gold medals in 2008 and 2012 in the London and Beijing Olympics. As a pro Lomachenko holds a record of 6-1 with four knockouts and his lone loss came against the very tough veteran Orlando Salido, who used about 20 low-blows to help him win the fight, just the second bout of Lomachenko's career. Despite only having seven professional fights Lomachenko has already taken on quality opponents in Salido, Gary Russell Jr., and Martinez so he should be ready for Walters.
Walters, an orthodox fighter, is one of the heaviest hitters in boxing, especially in the smaller divisions. What makes Walters do dangerous is the fact that he carries impressive power in both hands. The Jamaican native has a monster left hook as well as a dangerous overhand right and he always does a tremendous job of going to the body, something fighters don't always get credit for. On defense Walters may not be at the same level as Lomachenko but he is no slouch and usually doesn't take many clean punches.
Walters will have the experience advantage at least when it comes to professional experience. He has fought a total of 27 times and has an impressive record of 26-0-1 with a very strong 21 knockouts. The draw on his resume came in his last fight against Jason Sosa who fought tough but clearly lost the fight. Unfortunately for Walters he wasn't given credit for his fantastic work to the body and the fight didn't go his way. Walters has been a pro fighter since 2008 but he really burst onto the scene in 2014 when he stopped Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire in back-to-back fights.
In past fights Lomachenko has sometimes looked amateurish. Instead of sitting down on his punches to really put power on them he will sometimes just touch his opponent in order to score points but doesn't do much damage. In recent fights he has gotten better at using his power but against Walters he may be better served sticking and moving. Walters loves to fight in the pocket where he can load up on power punches and attack the body so if Lomachenko stays in the pocket too long he could find himself in some serious trouble. However, if Lomachenko stays on the outside and uses his hand speed and footwork he could outbox Walters.
PREDICTION: Nicholas Walters is a fantastic fighter who probably doesn't get as much respect as he deserves. He will certainly have a serious puncher's chance in this fight but that punch won't ever materialize. Vasyl Lomachenko is a rare talent and his combination of hand speed, footwork, and power will make him too much for Walters to overcome. Lomachenko will play it somewhat safe and stay on the outside while he boxes his way to a unanimous decision win in a fight that stays tense until the final bell.
Lomachenko hasn't just been an impressive professional. As an amateur Lomachenko put together one of the best records ever and he won medals in various events. On his amateur resume are a gold medal from the European Championships, a silver and two golds from the World Championships, and gold medals in 2008 and 2012 in the London and Beijing Olympics. As a pro Lomachenko holds a record of 6-1 with four knockouts and his lone loss came against the very tough veteran Orlando Salido, who used about 20 low-blows to help him win the fight, just the second bout of Lomachenko's career. Despite only having seven professional fights Lomachenko has already taken on quality opponents in Salido, Gary Russell Jr., and Martinez so he should be ready for Walters.
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| Walters has serious top shelf power |
Walters will have the experience advantage at least when it comes to professional experience. He has fought a total of 27 times and has an impressive record of 26-0-1 with a very strong 21 knockouts. The draw on his resume came in his last fight against Jason Sosa who fought tough but clearly lost the fight. Unfortunately for Walters he wasn't given credit for his fantastic work to the body and the fight didn't go his way. Walters has been a pro fighter since 2008 but he really burst onto the scene in 2014 when he stopped Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire in back-to-back fights.
In past fights Lomachenko has sometimes looked amateurish. Instead of sitting down on his punches to really put power on them he will sometimes just touch his opponent in order to score points but doesn't do much damage. In recent fights he has gotten better at using his power but against Walters he may be better served sticking and moving. Walters loves to fight in the pocket where he can load up on power punches and attack the body so if Lomachenko stays in the pocket too long he could find himself in some serious trouble. However, if Lomachenko stays on the outside and uses his hand speed and footwork he could outbox Walters.
PREDICTION: Nicholas Walters is a fantastic fighter who probably doesn't get as much respect as he deserves. He will certainly have a serious puncher's chance in this fight but that punch won't ever materialize. Vasyl Lomachenko is a rare talent and his combination of hand speed, footwork, and power will make him too much for Walters to overcome. Lomachenko will play it somewhat safe and stay on the outside while he boxes his way to a unanimous decision win in a fight that stays tense until the final bell.
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