Lomachenko – Haney. Five moments that for the Ukrainian will be the first in his career

On the night of May 20, former world champion in three weight categories Vasily Lomachenko will fight for the title of absolute world champion in lightweight with the owner of the WBC, WBA Super, IBF and WBO belts Devin Haney. The fight in Las Vegas will be decisive for Lomachenko’s career, and despite Vasily’s vast experience, he will have to experience several moments for the first time. We tell you which ones.

Status in combat

Perhaps for the first time in his entire professional career, Lomachenko will start the fight as an underdog. In all the previous 19 fights, including losing fights to Salido and Lopez, Vasily has always been considered a favorite: even in fights with Russell at the beginning of his career or Linares at its peak.

Now everyone – specialists, fans, bookmakers – prefers Haney. It is likely that the arbitrators will adhere to the same opinion. Involuntary sympathy, let’s not talk about bias – a very important moment of refereeing, where there is a human factor.

Age difference with opponent

Lomachenko is 35 years old, Haney is 24 years old. Between boxers – an abyss at 11 years old. For light weights (leave Mayweather out of the brackets – the last fight at 38 and Pacquiao – Manny is still in the clips) the distance is catastrophic.

Yes, Vasily had to fight against opponents so much younger than himself before, but the difference in fights with Lopez and Ortiz was nine years. At the same time, if Vasily coped with Ortiz, then the tougher and more skilled Lopez won against Lomachenko.

The significance of the fight for a future career

Based on Lomachenko’s age, the fight with Haney is the fight of life for the Ukrainian. Of course, it is silly to talk about the meaning of fights for a boxer, 15 of whose 17 fights were title fights. But now the case is different. If Lomachenko loses, he will most likely end his career without achieving his main goal – to become the undisputed world champion.

Moreover, in addition to age, there is another reason: most likely, Haney will leave the lightweight division, rising to a heavier weight category. And if so, then all four titles will become vacant. It will take several years to collect them. A Ukrainian no longer has so much time.

Difference in anthropometry

It was not for nothing that we mentioned the possibility of moving Haney to a heavier weight category. Even visually, Devin looks much more powerful than Lomachenko. The difference in arm span between the boxers is colossal: 164 cm for Lomachenko, 180 for Haney.

Yes, Vasily fought and defeated boxers, who had the same rich as Haney – Nakatani, Campbell, Pedraza. But they were all inferior in skill and boxing intelligence to Devin. So on Saturday, Lomachenko and his coaching father will have to come up with something extraordinary to fit/beat/beat the American.

Fan aggression

17 out of 19 fights in the professional ring Lomachenko held in the United States. Once – fought from England, where he went to fight with local star Luke Campbell. In other words, he was used to public pressure.

But perhaps for the first time in his pro career, Lomachenko will face the fact that the vast majority of viewers in the United States will root against him so vehemently. Haney is not just a local boxer, he is one of the stars of modern professional boxing in the United States, and given his age, he is also the future of this sport in the country. And the Ukrainian will also have to cope with the incredible pressure of the stands.