Boxing Junkie staffers are trying to have some fun while the sport is on hiatus because of the coronavirus pandemic.
One of the questions fans love to ask even amid a busy schedule is, “Who would win if …?” With that in mind, we decided to create a feature in which we complete that sentence by asking, “Who would win each fight if we pitted a specific boxer against five top prospective opponents?”
We start with our No. 1 boxer pound-for-pound, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and pit him against Teofimo Lopez, Devin Haney, Gervonta Davis, Miguel Berchelt and Ryan Garcia. The Boxing Junkie Staffers – Michael Rosenthal, Norm Frauenheim and Sean Nam – then make their predictions and we would tally the score for Lomachenko.
If he wins all five fights, he would have a score of 15-0, as each staffer will have predicted a victory in all five matchups.
We want to acknowledge that the choice of possible opponents is subjective. We’re looking for the best possible but also realistic foes for our featured boxers. One caveat: We won’t consider promotional and managerial rivalries that often stand in the way of the best matchups.
The plan is to work our way down our pound-for-pound list each day, meaning we’ll focus on No. 2 Terence Crawford tomorrow.
So here goes: Lomachenko vs. the five potential opponents.
LOMACHENKO VS. LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)
Rosenthal: No one will outbox Lomachenko. An opponent would have to swarm him or rough him up (a la Orlando Salido), have a size advantage (Jorge Linares) or have unusual power. Lopez has a high boxing IQ but not enough for Lomachenko, at least not yet. He has the power to hurt Lomachenko but our No. 1 boxer is too good to get caught. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.
Frauenheim: Intriguing fight, mostly because both like to set traps. The winner will be the fighter who’s better at getting out of one. That’s Lomachenko, whose agile feet allow him to almost glide above the canvas in a tireless dance, in and out of traps and into a split-decision win.
Nam: Lopez is the future, but Lomachenko still reigns over the present. Lopez has the size and power to trouble Lomachenko, but he will have his hands full against the Ukrainian’s high-octane pressure and unusual dexterity. It’ll be tactical in the beginning, but expect Lomachenko to take over in the latter half of the bout and win a clear decision. A late stoppage wouldn’t be surprising.
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LOMACHENKO VS. HANEY (24-0, 15 KOs)
Rosenthal: Haney is naturally bigger than Lomachenko, which would work in his favor. He also is quick and has tight technique most of the time, which obviously would help. Haney’s problem is that he has neither the seasoning – he’s only 21 years old — nor the pop in his punches to hurt Lomachenko, at least not on paper. I think he gives Lomachenko some trouble but loses a clear unanimous decision.
Frauenheim: For Haney, it’s a little early. He’s had 24 fights, nine more than Lomachenko. Haney also has youth. He’s 21, 11 years younger than Lomachenko. But Lomachenko, perhaps the best boxer in Olympic history, knows his way around the world and the ring. Lomachenko’s angles and instincts add up to a win by unanimous decision.
Nam: Same scenario as Lomachenko vs. Lopez. Haney is very much the future of the sport, but there is nothing to suggest in either his ability or body of work that he can handle Lomachenko. Haney may boast advantages in quickness and size, but it’s worth pointing out he had some trouble with Alfredo Santiago in his last bout. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.
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LOMACHENKO VS. DAVIS (23-0, 22 KOs)
Rosenthal: This might be the most intriguing matchup of the bunch. Davis is comparable with Lomachenko in size and has the swarming style and punching power to push the Ukrainian to his limits. And I presume Davis would be focused for this fight, which isn’t always the case with him. I think Lomachenko wins a closer-than-expected, but unanimous decision.
Frauenheim: Davis has dangerous power. A dangerous temper too. It’s the temper that will do him in against the clever Lomachenko. Lomachenko will throw punches from angles yet unseen by Davis, who will walk or stumble into a trap he can’t escape. Lomachenko wins a late-round TKO.
Nam: Don’t mistake popularity for ability. The hard-hitting Davis is talented, no doubt, and he may one of the few American fighters with legitimate box office appeal, but consider his performance against Yuriorkis Gamboa a warning. The Baltimore native needed 11 rounds before he could put away a shopworn fighter who fought the majority of the fight on one leg due to a torn Achilles. That won’t cut it against Lomachenko, who will win by stoppage.
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LOMACHENKO VS. BERCHELT (37-1, 33 KOs)
Rosenthal: Berchelt is a beast. The Mexican is a well-schooled boxer with crushing power, as his KO percentage indicates. And he has the experience that the others here lack. In other words, this would be a real challenge for our favorite. I think he pushes Lomachenko harder than anyone else here but, because of Lomachenko’s superhuman skill set and resilence, he weathers the storm and wins a close, but unanimous decision.
Frauenheim: Lomachenko’s toughest fight. Berchelt has a presence, an intangible poise that will prove effective against Lomachenko. To wit: Berchelt won’t lose his cool. He won’t crack when Lomachenko tries to apply his magic. Berchelt also has power. Question is, can he catch Lomachenko? Probably not. A draw.
Nam: Of all the fighters here, Berchelt perhaps has the most diverse offensive skillset. His ability to rifle off four-five punch combinations would bode him well against Lomachenko, who is best when he has his opponent on the backfoot. Berchelt may be able to break that pattern. However, Berchelt leaves himself wide open when he throws his combinations and tends to leave his chin hanging out. Lomachenko by unanimous decision.
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LOMACHENKO VS. GARCIA (20-0, 17 KOs)
Rosenthal: Garcia has generated a great deal of excitement but the fact is he’s still developing. He has the natural ability and punching power to compete with anyone, including this opponent; he just doesn’t have the experience to hang with a wizard like Lomachenko. He would have his moments but wouldn’t survive 12 rounds. Lomachenko by KO.
Frauenheim: Years from now, an interesting fight. Garcia has power and very fast hands. Lomachenko has seen both, dealt with both. Lomachenko will employ his own hand speed, moving from side to side and landing a blitz of combinations from all sides for a unanimous decision.
Nam: Too green. Garcia is showing signs of improving steadily under the guidance of Canelo Alvarez’s head trainer, Eddie Reynosos, but he is still something of a prospect. He keeps his chin deadly high and has an upright stance. So far his reflexes and power have led to highlight reel wins over pedestrian opponents. Lomachenko would pick him apart from the opening bell and stop him in embarrassing fashion in the late rounds.
THE FINAL TALLY
Lomachenko: 14-0-1 (4 KOs)