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SPORTS A19
Saturday 8 April 2017
Lomachenko could complete big night for Ukranian pro boxing
IAN QUILLEN main thing is, we all three Lomachenko’s promoters Vasyl Lomachenko left, of the Ukraine, and Jason Sosa pose
Associated Press have to win, and all the would’ve rather seen a re- after a boxing press conference, Thursday, April 6, 2017, in Oxon
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — world will know Ukraine has match with Orlando Salido Hill, Md. They fight Saturday for Lomachenko’s WBO junior light-
Vasyl Lomachenko could another three good fight- or a unification bout with weight title.
complete a banner night ers.” Jezreel Corrales.
for Ukrainian boxing Sat- The trio was part of a na- “I’m getting very disap- Associated Press
urday by defending his tional team that won five pointed, because I came
WBO junior lightweight title boxing medals at the 2012 to unify titles,” said Lom- jing Games. ready been knocked out
against Jason Sosa, even if London Olympics, with achenko, whose only pro Sosa was forced to vacate in one round. Just like Jack
his own reputation stands Lomaechenko and Usyk loss came to Salido at 126 the WBA’s 130-pound belt Dempsey, Max Schmel-
little to gain. both winning gold. For a pounds after Salido failed to take the fight. Still, pro- ling, John Henry Louis, Bob
Lomachenko (7-1) and country that boasts former to make weight. moter Russell Peltz says Montgomery, Jersey Joe
Sosa (20-1-4) headline the champion heavyweight “I couldn’t do that at 126 there is little downside for Walcott, Floyd Patterson,
maiden fight night at the brothers Vitali and Wladimir (pounds). I move to 130, his fighter from New Jersey. Sonny Liston, Emile Griffith,
MGM National Harbor in Klitschko, Saturday night’s and it looks like 130, the “What’s the worst thing Michael Spinks and Ken
Washington’s Maryland card still represents a first same thing,” he continued. that could happen to Norton.
suburbs, an HBO card in its history, said Alexander “People are not fighting. Jason Sosa on Saturday And guess what? They’re
also featuring two of Lom- Krassyuk, Usuk’s promoter. So I will have to move for- night?” Peltz said. “He’s al- all in the Hall of Fame.”q
achenko’s 2012 Olympic That said, Lomachenko ward.”
teammates. is considered one of the Lomachenko insisted that
Aleksandr Usyk (11-0) will world’s best pound-for- frustration hasn’t distracted
defend his WBO cruiser- pound fighters and is ex- his training.
weight belt against Mi- pected to easily dispatch “I am not preparing for op-
chael Hunter (12-0), and Sosa. ponent.
light heavyweight Olek- After winning Olympic gold I am preparing for my
sandr Gvozdyk (12-0) faces in 2008 and 2012, he set name to bring into history,”
Yuniezski Gonzalez (18-2-0) a record by becoming a he said.
in a non-title bout. two-division world cham- Sosa has more pro experi-
“It’s a big publicity for our pion after just seven bouts. ence, but only began box-
country,” Lomachenko He now thinks high-profile ing at age 20. By the same
said through translator and fighters are ducking him. age, Lomachenko had
manager Egil Klimas. “Our Even Sosa’s camp admits won gold at the 2008 Bei-
