Lomachenko's Future in a PBC Dominated Division

[-PBP-]

Lomachenko is fighting little known challenger Romulo Koasicha on the Bradley/Rios undercard. This has been a disappointing year for Lomachenko coming off an extremely impressive 2014. With Walters unable to make weight anymore, what are his options:

At 126 a unification is not possible:

WBA - Leo Santa Cruz
WBC - Gary Russell Jr.
IBF - Lee Selby

All 3 are Haymon fighters. That leaves Castellanos, Cuellar and Jayson Velez, none of which excite me.

None of the fighters at 122 have shown any interest in moving up: Rigondeaux, Quigg and Frampton

Then you have 130. You have a Salido rematch, the Walters fight we were hoping to get and maybe he can get Uchiyama to travel to the U.S. or Macau.

Slim pickings for Lomachenko. What direction do you see his career going at this stage?

[NEETzsche]

an oscar valdez fight could be big

[Hougigo]

an oscar valdez fight could be big

That's not happening...any time soon at least.

[Weebler I]

I don't think it matters who is in his division, Arum seems to want him fighting bums.

[Bram]

I think that the dominant win over Gary Russell really helps him a lot kind of stay away from all of that. I'd love to see Loma vs LSC but if it doesn't happen I don't think it's a huge loss.

He has competition available, like you said he may have to go up in weight to get it, but I'm really hoping Walters can make the weight again because that would be one of the biggest fights I'd love to see in 2016 and, again, he beat GRJ with room to spare and should Russell go on to have a very good career as champion, that win will kind of hang over the division as long as both are at or near the top of it imo. And he's still at a younger age, it'll be 2017 at the earliest before he has his 10th fight, so I think he has time to fight the Koasicha's of the world. I love Loma though he's one of my favourites now.

[Weebler I]

Potential opponents for Lomachenko (in bold):

1. Walters
3. Russell Jr.
4. Santa Cruz
5. Selby
6. Mares
7. Vetyeka
8. Gradovich
9. Cuellar
10. Velez

1. Rigondeaux (and probably a few others at 122)


Actual opponent: Romulo Koasicha (#17)

[-PBP-]

Potential opponents for Lomachenko (in bold):

1. Walters
3. Russell Jr.
4. Santa Cruz
5. Selby
6. Mares
7. Vetyeka
8. Gradovich
9. Cuellar
10. Velez

1. Rigondeaux (and probably a few others at 122)


Actual opponent: Romulo Koasicha (#17)

And that's his second soft touch this year. He gets 100% credit for staying in the fast lane early on in his career but once he became a title holder, that all goes out the window.

[NEETzsche]

Potential opponents for Lomachenko (in bold):

1. Walters
3. Russell Jr.
4. Santa Cruz
5. Selby
6. Mares
7. Vetyeka
8. Gradovich
9. Cuellar
10. Velez

1. Rigondeaux (and probably a few others at 122)


Actual opponent: Romulo Koasicha (#17)

yeah i was convinced that it was going to be vetyeka, which is not bad imo, but i'm really disappointed in this. is arum's health in decline or something?

[Eff Pandas]

Tbh Loma could use a couple years of fighting random mfers to gain some experience with how quickly he got a title so I think they'll probably just do that. Then when he's more ready for a top 3 elite level guy or fellow title holder he'll be more prepared. Maybe at some point PBC & TR can do business, but I tend to doubt it with the current situation.

[Cuban Linx]

Potential opponents for Lomachenko (in bold):

1. Walters
3. Russell Jr.
4. Santa Cruz
5. Selby
6. Mares
7. Vetyeka
8. Gradovich
9. Cuellar
10. Velez

1. Rigondeaux (and probably a few others at 122)


Actual opponent: Romulo Koasicha (#17)

Walters 130 (but still a distant possibility)

Vetyeka is with Haymon.

Gradovich and Velez are likely though.