By Miguel Rivera
Mexican legend Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. believes the perfect opponent for WBO super featherweight world champion Vasyl Lomachenko (7-1, 4KOs) would be lightweight contender Mikey Garcia (35-0, 29KOs), who next month will face WBC lightweight champion Dejan Zlaticanin in Las Vegas.
Last Saturday night in Las Vegas, Lomachenko dominated and made Nicholas Walters quit after seven rounds of action. According to his promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, Lomachnko may very well move up in weight to pursue his third divisional title in 2017.
Now there is a lot of talk about Lomachenko possibly facing eight division world champion Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino star's camp want the fight to take place at the junior welterweight limit of 140-pounds. Lomachenko is not willing to go above 135-pounds.
Chavez Sr. said he wasn't surprised that Lomachenko's fights are not drawing a big audience on television or in the arenas. He also disagrees with people who are now rating Lomachenko in the top five pound-for-pound.
"Truthfully, I do not like [his style]. He has the qualities [of a great fighter], he does, but I don't think his style will not stand out to gain the favor of the fans," Chavez Sr. told Golpe a Golpe.
"Lomachenko is not yet in the top five pound-for-pound. He's missing the necessary names [on his record to be rated that high]."
As far as the opponent, should Garcia win next month - Chavez sees him as the perfect opponent. He feels Pacquiao and Terence Crawford are too physically big and Orlando Salido will not be capable of winning a rematch.
"Mikey Garcia, I definitely would like to see him fight Mike Garcia, because it would be a fight that is very close in weight. With Manny Pacquiao it would be uneven [because of the weight], with Terence Crawford [it would be uneven] too. With Rigondeaux it would be a stinking fight between the two. The ideal fight would be against Mikey Garcia to see the level of Lomachenko," Chavez Sr. said.
