Boxing experts give their reactions to Vasyl Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell thriller
Ukrainian pound-for-pound superstar Vasyl Lomachenko was forced to produce a battling, gritty performance to overcome fellow Olympic champion Luke Campbell on points at London's O2 Arena to add the WBC lightweight bauble to his WBA and WBO belts, leaving just Richard Commey's IBF title to complete the hoard.
Despite the lopsided 119-108, 119-108, 118-108 scores to this generation's greatest fighter, who finished his amateur career at an astonishing 396-1, the Briton forced the Ukrainian to battle hard to gain the win.
Hear what boxing experts had to say about the thrilling fight:
Ryan Walsh
British featherweight champion
"I’m in a few boxing WhatsApp groups and I predicted Luke would lose in respectable fashion. He did that and I'm sure he made a few fans by showing real grit and determination especially in rounds five, eight and, ultimately, 11 when getting back up from a vicious body assault.
Luke will be a world champion I’m sure. His timing has been unfortunate – Linares, an elite multi-weight champion and Loma P4P king and one of our times greatest.
I think he was Lomachenko's hardest pro test so far, which says something about Luke and his pedigree."
Robbie Davies Jr
British super-lightweight champion
"Luke Campbell showed he is a one of the very best at 135lbs, he was hurt and come back and, at times, hurt Loma. Back and fourth exchanges throughout the whole fight. He's a credit to British boxing."
Fabrizio Spagna
BBN Writer
"Campbell's power and length gave Loma some trouble and he landed a lot of good solid body punches throughout the fight.
In the end, Loma was just that level above and that told as the fight wore on. I think Campbell realised he was out of his depth from round 10 onwards when Loma really turned up the pressure and Campbell was just trying to survive. Having said that, Campbell gave a great account of himself and should be proud of the performance he put in against an all-time great in Loma."
Bob Arum
Top Rank Promoter
“Luke Campbell didn’t disgrace himself. He fought a hell of a fight. He’s a hell of a fighter. Big, big heart, and Luke will be back.
“Loma is up there with Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao. He belongs with those fighters.”
Mick Kane
BBN Writer
"It was a valiant effort from Luke Campbell as Lomachenko proved once again how good he is. Campbell kept the fight competitive throughout but Loma was winning most of the rounds. I probably had Campbell winning three rounds.
I fully expect Lomachenko to go on and beat Commey and unify the division. He's a special boxer and someone we arr all blessed to have in this era. As for Luke, if he was in with a mere mortal then there's every chance he would have been a champion last night. His time will come again."
Matt Marsh
British super-bantamweight champion
"Even though Luke Campbell lost all of the rounds apart from the first round, I personally think he did well to go to points with the best there is in Lomachenko.
Loma had Luke wobbled a few times, but he still kept to his game plan.
I personally think no one can beat Lomachenko, he is a one of a kind."
Jack Bradley
BBN Writer
"First of all, massive credit to Luke Campbell for putting up a valiant fight last night. We’ve seen a lot of tough world level boxers get beaten into submission for the mastermind that is Vasiliy Lomachenko, but even when Lomachenko took over and really got to work, Campbell hung in there and did a good job of giving his opponent something to think about throughout the fight.
I think the score cards were accurate – maybe a round too far in Lomachenko’s favour, but you had to have Lomachenko winning 9 or 10 of the rounds. He was just that good last night. Campbell is no mug and I absolutely believe he can go on and win a world title, but it won’t be until Lomachenko moves back down in weight and vacates his belts should that be the path he takes.
I think Lomachenko beats Richard Commey but again, it’ll be a more competitive fight than we have seen Lomachenko in previously. A lot of the Ukrainian’s fights at lightweight have been closer than his bouts at feather and super feather without ever being back-and-forth affairs, and I think that will be a common theme until he moves back down. He isn’t a natural lightweight, but that shows just how good he is to be so successful at the weight. I think Teofimo López may be his toughest fight at lightweight, but he’ll have to take the IBF title from Commey should that fight happen as it is rumoured to before he gets in with Lomachenko."
Luke Gibb
Lightweight prospect
"Yeah, I thought Luke done well, to be honest. I know how good he is from our sparring together. I'd say he won about four rounds, but he just outclassed, well, not necessarily outclassed, but lLoma's just a level above, isn’t he.
I hope Lomachenko doesn’t go too many weights above because he's short for a lightweight as it is. He should unify then go back down again. I just hope he doesn't chase glory at the higher weights because he hasn't got the right stature, but he is something special.”
Ryan Clark
Co-Founder of buymyfight.com
"Luke put in a fantastic performance and the fight went pretty much how I called it. I hesitate to say ‘unfortunately’ because Luke is world class but Lomachenko is simply one of those hall of famers in the elite level that comes along once in a lifetime, so I hope Luke and his family are as proud as the British fans are this morning.
My prediction was that Luke would be the best challenger for Loma yet, and that’s exactly how it looked to me. He boxed well at range and used experience to get out of trouble at times. I think Lomachenko would have been glad to come out with the win after having a tough job.
Luke’s time will come."
Teddy Atlas
Boxing Trainer
"For me the difference and turning point in the fight was the jab. Campbell was that dog barking behind the door and Lomachenko was FedEx delivering the package. Noise vs action. Action is loudest. The delivery was made."
Lee Gormley
Sports Journalist
"It’s another indication of how great Loma is when fighters are getting a lot of plaudits for simply ‘lasting the distance’ with him."
Kieran Gething
Welsh Area super-lightweight champion
"I enjoyed the fight, I thought Lomachenko would have closed him down better but that’s testament to how good of a fighter Campbell is.
I think Campbell should have one or two build up fights before going on to win a world title.
Meanwhile, Lomachenko, I think, undoubtedly, unifies the division then drops back down in weight and does the same!"
Paul Stevenson
Head Coach at Everton Red Triangle
"It was a better fight than I think most people expected.
We’ve boxed Luke in the amateurs and sparred him quite a bit in the pros, so I’ve studied him quite closely over the years. Although he comes across, at first glance, as a flighty boxer, he’s actually quite aggressive and he’s also a very good body puncher. He’s been tall at every weight he’s been at, so he really knows how to box smaller men.
All of this makes him very effective against shorter boxers, so I had a sneak feeling that he’d be problematic for Lomachenko. But Lomachenko is very good at adapting and that’s what won him the fight.
I scored it closer than the judges, but there was a clear winner. I think this was Luke’s best performance as a pro and he was sure of himself in there and stuck to his strategy and never gave up trying to win. He’ll learn from this fight and can definitely become a world champion."
Monty Ogilvie
Celtic super-featherweight title contender
"Lomachenko is just different gravy.
I thought Luke would do well with his size and reach advantage and amateur pedigree, which was the case, but Loma is a once in a lifetime talent.
Luke's time will come, I believe."
Michelle Dewberry
Author from Hull
"Great effort Luke Campbell you did yourself and Hull so proud. I wish you’d been a little more brutal at times but wow you put up one heck of a great fight."
Bolu Kareem
Middleweight prospect
"Very, very entertaining fight! Luke Campbell is clearly world level, he can definitely become world champion, but Loma is just phenomenal. I believe he is pound for pound the best boxer right now and Loma will definitely become undisputed champ, he has all the tools to succeed."