Why hasn't Lomachenko connected with an audience?

[bulldognyc]

His first fight was on the Bradley/Marquez undercard

His next fight was a title shot against Salido as the co-Main Event on the Chavez Jr/Vera card

His third fight was against Gary Russell Jr on Showtime. Once again for the vacant WBO title

His fourth fight his first defense and it came on the Pacquiao v. Vargas undercard

His fight fight was the most coveted spot in boxing. He was the co-Main Event on the May-Pac undercard. They could've sold that spot to another promoter and got millions.

After that he fought on the Bradley/Rios undercard as the co-Main Event

His next fight he headlined MSG on Puerto Rico weekend. He was supported with a Puerto Rican fighter on the undercard and facing a Puerto Rican fighter for a title in the main event.

His last fight he fought Walters on HBO WCB.

Bob has done everything possible to make this guy a star and he's given him opportunities most other fighters would kill for. He's a handsome guy. Doesn't speak English but I dont think that's as big an obstacle as most others do. I have a theory but I don't want to say it just yet. I wanna see other people thoughts first.

Great recap and bob has worked hard. I feel like he's reserved because of his pursuit of greatness. I'm not sure he's chasing fame as much as more greatness in his already great career. He doesn't seem to be on this money chase either. He wants to get to business ASAP. He's a polite guy and doesn't really think to shout people names. He's down to fight anyone that much we know, so he just doesn't engage us. Just wants to showcase his brilliance in the ring. But I think with time he will grow in popularity because of his obvious great ability.

[yngwie]

-He has 8 fights.
-Doesn't speaks english
-There hasn't been a breakthrough performance by him
-Is a featherweight

There hasn't nothing to do with race, Dela Hoya was white and was a star (surprise surprise, you can be white and latino) as well as Canelo, but he hasn't break in to the scene because he doesn't have that May-Gatti or Tyson-Berbick type of performance, of course that the Martinez one was devasting, but he needs to do that against a top name to break in to the scene, being a featherweight that doesn't speaks English doesn't helps either.

[stuff jones]

I agree. Hardcore white boxing fans in America love the Eastern Europeans but casual white fans in America just aren't connecting with white fighters for some strange reason. They connect with black, mexican, filipino, puerto rican fighters but they don't connect with white fighters. Even when Tommy Morrison was a legit HW champ white Americans still connected more with Holyfield, Foreman, Lewis than they did with Tommy. Have white Americans been sold the great white hope so much they don't believe white fighters can really fight?

Lol you were just waiting for that response? Why be all coy and ask a question if you think know exactly what the answer is?

[bulldognyc]

No actually he doesn't. Pacquiao spoke pretty good English by the time he was a major star. Lomachenko doesnt speak ANY english. And Duran was never an American superstar.

Loma speaks English. If you watch the video of his final media workout he's shooting the **** with the guys covering him. Even asking the reporters who they think won wardvs kovalev.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

I think loma has connected fine.....

This walters domination really put him on the map... Same way Cotto dominating pinto, or morales beating junior jones, or hopkins beating tito, crawford beating Postol, RIGO beating donaire
It puts you on the map....

This was loma's first big time fight, and he shined,,, his profile grew substantially

[TheCell8]

He speaks as well as Pacquiao spoke when he was becoming a star. Duran never spoke English and he had a Pepsi commerical

Pacquiao also had an entire country behind him and he had enough popular fighters around him (Barrera and Morales) to make a name off of them.

Lomachenko doesn't have those type of rivals. He fights in a weight class that is basically an afterthought. Honestly most weight classes below 147 don't get the recognition they deserve. Plus he can't speak English so that limits his ability to connect to American fans. Also, the Ukrainian fans simply don't support their athletes the way Mexicans and Filipinos support theirs. He had an interview recently and someone asked him if he's a huge celebrity in the Ukraine and he mentioned that only in his hometown of Akkerman is he famous, but if he walks down streets of Kiev he's just a regular dude.

[-DSG-]

Boxing is dead.

[KeyboardWarrior]

[Mike D]

1) Small.
2) No speak English.

He actually does speak halfway decent english. I've seen a few youtube videos where he's answering questions in english. I don't know why he uses an interpreter during post fight interviews

[pacmanis1]

I agree. Hardcore white boxing fans in America love the Eastern Europeans but casual white fans in America just aren't connecting with white fighters for some strange reason. They connect with black, mexican, filipino, puerto rican fighters but they don't connect with white fighters. Even when Tommy Morrison was a legit HW champ white Americans still connected more with Holyfield, Foreman, Lewis than they did with Tommy. Have white Americans been sold the great white hope so much they don't believe white fighters can really fight?

So I don't exactly know how to say this without some people viewing it as racist or something but I don't look at Loma and think he's white like me. Yeah he's white and all but its not like I feel some connection to him just because of his skin color. As a white guy from the midwest I feel I have more in common with Mayweather than Loma. So yeah I feel you're idea that white people don't support their own is kinda off in this case. I wasn't a fan back in the 90's so I can't really speak to that stuff.