[Hman]

Best bets for Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Luke Campbell

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Saturday is poised to go down as a landmark day in boxing history. When Vasiliy Lomachenko and Luke Campbell come together in the ring, it will be the first time a double Olympic champion faces an Olympic champion in a professional world title contest. The event at O2 Arena in London (Saturday, 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+) features an intriguing matchup between two excellent fighters with two very different styles. And there will be three belts on the line in the fight: the WBA and WBO lightweight titles held by Lomachenko and the vacant WBC title.


Here are my best bets for the fight.


Both Olympic champions are 31, but their journeys have been very different. Lomachenko won featherweight gold at Beijing in 2008 and then moved up to win gold at lightweight at London in 2012. After representing his home country of Ukraine at the amateur level, he moved to the U.S. and turned pro, signing with promotional powerhouse Top Rank, and immediately started taking on the best fighters available.


Loma took on WBO 126-pound champ Orlando Salido in just his second fight and lost a hotly-disputed split decision, still his only loss to date (13-1, 10 KOs). Since then, he has become a three-weight world champion. With Salido the only exception, Loma has outclassed everyone he has faced, with Gary Russell Jr., Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux and Jorge Linares the bigger names among his victims. Linares is the only fighter to have knocked Loma down, but it was very much a flash knockdown in the sixth round, and Vasiliy quickly recovered to stop Linares in the 10th.


Loma isn't just good, he is exceptional. Blessed with very fast hands and feet, his movements appear effortless. He doesn't throw single punches and is always looking to attack with combinations while unleashing powerful shots. He executes this attacking strategy while also employing a better than decent defense; he doesn't get caught with shots very often. It will come as no surprise if Loma goes down in history as one of the greatest fighters of all time.


Campbell, who represented Great Britain at London in 2012, became a hero of his home nation by taking the bantamweight gold. His journey since, in comparison to his opponent Saturday, has been a much longer one, as his 20-2 (16 KOs) record might suggest. After turning pro, he immediately started out at lightweight, a surprising move since it was 12 pounds higher than the weight limit he competed at as an amateur.


Campbell built up a 12-0 record before suffering his first defeat, to very experienced French contender Yvan Mendy, who knocked him down in the fifth before winning on points. Campbell avenged that defeat only a couple of fights ago, winning the rematch in September by a wide points decision. His only world title shot thus far came against Linares. Campbell was knocked down in the second stanza and sustained a cut in the same round, but he battled back valiantly before going down on a split decision in Linares' hometown.


Campbell is very disciplined, technically proficient, uses his height and reach (5-foot-9, 71-inch reach to Loma's 5-7 and 65) to his advantage and looks to counter his foe coming into him. He doesn't have devastating power, but he punches with authority. Campbell will have the size advantage Saturday, but he is facing a tremendous fighter who almost seems like he's from another planet. As the home fighter, Campbell will enjoy considerable crowd support, but it likely will not be enough to carry his dream of becoming champion.


Saturday's tilt should see some well-contested rounds in the early going, and Campbell will likely prove to be difficult to break down. But the class of Loma will show through, and I see the future Hall of Famer using his superior speed and punch variety to take over in the second half of the fight. This is a case of a very good technician having to go up against what is a very special fighter, and I see Loma winning this relatively clearly, possibly wearing Campbell down from the halfway stage and managing a comfortable points decision. However, it wouldn't be a surprise if Loma scores a stoppage win in the later rounds.


Eight of Lomachenko's 14 pro fights, all of which have been scheduled 12-rounders, have gone nine rounds or longer. Of Campbell's 12-round fights, six of nine have gone nine rounds or longer.


Pick: Over 8.5 rounds is the sensible play, at -140 or better.

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What the industry insiders/experts are saying

"I really can't see no any winner other than Loma. It's only once in a generation that you see a fighter at the class and quality as Lomachenko. Campbell is a good fighter who can mix it with the best, but boxing is all about levels, and it won't be any shame losing to Lomachenko. Loma by wide decision."


Wayne Alexander, former British and European super-welterweight champion


"Campbell is an excellent fighter, but Lomachenko is on a different planet and is a once in a generation fighter. Loma by decisive points victory."


Rick Glaser, International Boxing Agent, Broker, & Consultant, USA


"Lomachenko will dissect the bigger Campbell in his most 'Hi-Tech' way, all the way until the final bell or by a merciful late stoppage."


Danny "Mac" McGarvie, Canadian Matchmaker

[Sam Odom]

[Hman]

Which guy is it?

[Bluehorseshoe]

Any stream?

[Pr0ph3t]

Cambell’s goofy ass...