Showtime Sports' expert analyst Al Bernstein, is a very big fan of the potential matchup between world champions Vasyl Lomachenko (10-1, 8 KOs) and Mikey Garcia (37-0, 30 KOs).
Last week, Lomachenko retained his WBO super featherweight title with a one-sided stoppage of Guillermo Rigondeaux in six rounds.
Lomachenko is planning to move up to the lightweight limit of 135-pounds next year, with his mind set on capturing a third divisional title.
Garcia will return to the ring in February, in his second fight at the junior welterweight limit, as he challenges Sergey Lipinets for the WBO world championship.
However, Garcia submitted a request to the World Boxing Council to retain his WBC lightweight title - a request that the sanctioning body approved - giving the indication that Garcia might return to 135 for the right fight.
Bernstein believes a clash between Lomachenko and Garcia is one of the best matches to make in boxing.
"It’s fascinating, it’s one of the most intriguing style match-ups you could have. Mikey Garcia has kind of altered the way he fights, or at least he has against the fighters he has faced recently. He’s been a little more aggressive, we always think of Mikey Garcia as a counter puncher who is very calculated, but he’s been more aggressive since he’s been reborn coming back to the sport and we may see that against Lomachenko," Bernstein told On The Ropes Boxing Radio.
In order to win, Garcia would have to be very active and keep punching, says Bernstein. If Garcia takes his time and allows Lomachenko to build steam - a mistake that many opponents make - Bernstein feels he might very well be outworked to a decision loss.
"Mikey may have to be more aggressive because if Garcia doesn’t score a knockout and fought as a counter puncher, he may not land enough punches to win the fight. Lomachenko will be busy, because he always is and he will show a lot of movement. I just think that fight stylistically is just a marvelous fight," Bernstein said.
