Saturday night’s bout at Madison Square Garden between Ukrainian Vasyl Lomachenko and Cuban Guillermo Rigondeaux had the makings of a great fight.
And if you’re Lomachenko, it sure was.
https://twitter.com/boxnationtv/status/939713113825390592
The 29-year-old got Rigondeaux to quit by a sixth-round TKO. Lomachenko controlled the fight from the beginning, allowing Rigondeaux to look comfortable only in the first round, which was spent with the two hardly throwing any punches in the center of the ring. Lomachenko won the round 10-9.
But as things drew on, Lomachenko visibly was overwhelming his opponent. He was effectively landing his punches, to a point where Rigondeaux largely was just defending himself and couldn’t find an answer for anything being thrown at him.
Lomachenko for round 5. More of the same. Jabs and activity by Lomachenko. Holding and missing from Rigondeaux
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) December 10, 2017
The dominance, however, is little surprise. Rigondeaux was fighting two weight classes up, and though just two inches smaller, consistently seemed quite undersized due to who he was fighting and the energy Lomachenko carried throughout the night.
It also appeared as though Rigondeaux might have suffered a wrist injury in the sixth round.
Ringside reports are that Rigondeaux pointed to his left wrist when he asked out of the fight.
— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) December 10, 2017
The win puts Lomachenko in a pretty elite class. He and Rigondeaux fighting marked the first time two multiple Olympic gold medal winners squared off.
