Tweet
by David P. Greisman - It wasn’t the main event of the evening. The combined pay of the two boxers involved was just about the same amount owed to one of the fighters in the main event. Yet it was the bout that knowledgeable fans were excited about. It was the most important match on the card, and that is because it was the most intriguing one.
In one corner was Gary Russell Jr., the 26-year-old American who was an accomplished amateur who represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics but who never actually competed at that year’s tournament, passing out in his room before his first bout. The boxer was a free agent who had a working relationship with Golden Boy Promotions, turned pro more than five years ago, and had been brought along at a maddeningly slow pace.
In the other corner was Vasyl Lomachenko, the 26-year-old Ukrainian who captured Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, just part of an amazing amateur career in which he lost only once. He worked now with Top Rank Inc., had competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing in 2012 and 2013, officially turned pro last year and had challenged for a world title in what could either be considered his second pro fight or his eighth.
The differences in amateur accomplishments and professional upbringings alone made this an interesting pairing. What made it additionally compelling was that this was a fight that normally wouldn’t have happened, yet was made. [Click Here To Read More]
In one corner was Gary Russell Jr., the 26-year-old American who was an accomplished amateur who represented the United States in the 2008 Olympics but who never actually competed at that year’s tournament, passing out in his room before his first bout. The boxer was a free agent who had a working relationship with Golden Boy Promotions, turned pro more than five years ago, and had been brought along at a maddeningly slow pace.
In the other corner was Vasyl Lomachenko, the 26-year-old Ukrainian who captured Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012, just part of an amazing amateur career in which he lost only once. He worked now with Top Rank Inc., had competed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing in 2012 and 2013, officially turned pro last year and had challenged for a world title in what could either be considered his second pro fight or his eighth.
The differences in amateur accomplishments and professional upbringings alone made this an interesting pairing. What made it additionally compelling was that this was a fight that normally wouldn’t have happened, yet was made. [Click Here To Read More]
Comment