Lomachenko vs Campbell: Full preview of world lightweight title fight
Written by News on 31/08/2019
Luke Campbell will earn his place in history if he can topple Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office, in what would be the best win by a British boxer in modern times.
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The scale of his task is monumental because Lomachenko is a genius – but he has been beaten before, and was on the floor in a fight last year. Campbell is the tallest and longest of Lomachenko’s opponents and, crucially, believes that he hits the hardest.
The WBA, WBC and WBO lightweight titles are at stake at The O2 in London tonight – seven summers ago both Lomachenko and Campbell were victorious in the same city, earning Olympic gold. Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor and Oleksandr Usyk also won the top prize at London 2012.
Back then, Lomachenko was victorious in the division above Campbell and won gold for the second consecutive Games to round off the greatest amateur boxing career of all time. He lost one of 397 fights and avenged that result twice.
The Ukrainian maestro told his promoter, Bob Arum, that he could win a world championship in his first professional fight.
“Are you kidding?” Arum said.
Lomachenko had to wait for his third fight for that accolade – he lost his second fight to Orlando Salido whose advice to Campbell was: “You are not going to out-box him. It’s all about roughing him up and making him feel uncomfortable in the ring.”
Lomachenko has since won world titles in three divisions and has only had 14 fights – Arum, the promoter who twice brought Muhammad Ali to London 53 years ago, insists that the little man from the beaches by the Black Sea is the best boxer since.
Campbell dealt with heartbreak and personal loss in the days leading up to his first world title shot against Jorge Linares, which he lost by split decision, but he is reinvigorated now.
“Campbell is not an easy fighter – he’s a top fighter, he’s a smart fighter, a technical fighter,” Lomachenko has warned.
“To be the best, you have to beat the best, and this is certainly one of those challenges,” Hull’s Campbell said. Victory would be immortalised in British boxing for generations to come.
Hughie Fury has taken on challenges beyond his years but never one with the knockout power of Alexander Povetkin, who he faces tonight.
Fury is 24, a baby in the heavyweight division, and although he has lost two fights he has become battle-hardened. Victory over Russia’s Povetkin, whose only defeats in 36 fights were against Wladimir Klitschko and Anthony Joshua, would catapult Fury into world title contention.
“He’s got to be prepared to let his hands go,” said Hughie’s father and trainer Peter Fury.
Charlie Edwards defends his WBC flyweight championship against Julio Cesar Martinez, a Mexican who comes to town with a reputation as a power-puncher.
Martinez stopped another Brit, Andrew Selby, to earn this fight but Edwards has warned: “This is my time, this is my era.”
Joshua Buatsi aims to extend his unbeaten record to 12 fights against Ryan Ford, an ex-MMA fighter who has never been stopped and expects to provide a durable test for the Londoner.
Joe Cordina defends the British and Commonwealth lightweight titles against fellow Welshman Gavin Gwynne.
James Tennyson and Asif Shafiq contest the WBA international lightweight belt, and Savannah Marshall makes her Matchroom debut against Daniele Basteri.
Watch Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 6pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here. Even if you aren’t a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it here.
(c) Sky Sports 2019: Lomachenko vs Campbell: Full preview of world lightweight title fight
