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I am a big fan of both fighters, a bigger fan of Rigondeaux obviously. They are both tremendous talents and at this moment it would be foolish to not make Loma a favourite over Rigo. The reasons are very simple, Rigo has been inactive, he's small and he's old especially for his weight.
Rigo was pretty active prior to defeating Donaire and right now we really don't know what type of fighter Rigo is because we haven't seen him fight anybody that is good or close enough to Loma's level.
However, what if Rigo is still the same fighter that beat Donaire?
I believe Loma just like Rigondeaux has faced tougher opposition in the amateur ranks than he has faced as a pro. For example, I don't think Garry Russell Jr., Walters and Salido are better fighters than Selimov, Toledo and Conceicao. As a matter of fact they are not even close to their talent level.
Now he's had close fights with all three of them: Selimov, Yasnier Toledo and Conceicao.
Selimov's beat him before, you can say, well Loma was just coming on to the scene so he wasn't ready, which is true. Selimov lost a decision in a 5 rounder against Lomachenko under World Series Boxing that you could've scored for Selimov. That was the last time they faced each other.
Loma's beat the Cuban Yasnier Toledo twice. The second time around the Cuban landed the cleaner, harder shots and more of them and Loma was holding on in the third round feeling the pace. I think Yasniel should've won that fight but hey it was a close fight.
Loma beat Conceicao with a close fight where the decision was given originally to the Brazilian only to be overturned and given back to Loma. I thought Loma was the rightful winner and the clear winner as well, but he got hit a lot.
My point is that Loma has had close fights in his amateur career. Rigondeaux hasn't. Nobody has come even close.
Yasnier Toledo is an excellent Cuban fighter but he is not Rigondeaux, neither are Salimov and Conceicao. They are at least a level or 2 below Rigondeaux, in terms of pure natural talent, athleticism, skills and boxing IQ.
Now the people that think Loma is going to set up a pace on Rigo, crowd him and beat him with his strength down the stretch might be wrong.
If Loma couldn't do that with Russell, took him 5,6 rounds to start crowding Martinez, there is no way that will work against Rigo. And fighters don't just run in on Rigo. There is a reason you can't run in on Rigo.
The same way Loma decided to stop running in on Toledo in the 2012 Olympics semifinal is the same way he will stop running in on Rigo who is much more accurate and precise. Besides, Loma doesn't run in on opponents that early in fights as he did in the amateurs.
Loma's big advantage is footwork from the southpaw stance. That advantage against Rigo is no more. Rigo's got the better footwork and Rigo himself is a southpaw.
Loma relies on Speed. Rigo is faster. Loma uses high guard where he exposes his torso and that's where he's been most vulnerable both as an amateur and as a professional and Rigo is a viscous body puncher.
The advantages that Loma has right now over Rigo are: size, strength, youth, physical condition and timing.
Will they be enough against Rigo?
Rigo was pretty active prior to defeating Donaire and right now we really don't know what type of fighter Rigo is because we haven't seen him fight anybody that is good or close enough to Loma's level.
However, what if Rigo is still the same fighter that beat Donaire?
I believe Loma just like Rigondeaux has faced tougher opposition in the amateur ranks than he has faced as a pro. For example, I don't think Garry Russell Jr., Walters and Salido are better fighters than Selimov, Toledo and Conceicao. As a matter of fact they are not even close to their talent level.
Now he's had close fights with all three of them: Selimov, Yasnier Toledo and Conceicao.
Selimov's beat him before, you can say, well Loma was just coming on to the scene so he wasn't ready, which is true. Selimov lost a decision in a 5 rounder against Lomachenko under World Series Boxing that you could've scored for Selimov. That was the last time they faced each other.
Loma's beat the Cuban Yasnier Toledo twice. The second time around the Cuban landed the cleaner, harder shots and more of them and Loma was holding on in the third round feeling the pace. I think Yasniel should've won that fight but hey it was a close fight.
Loma beat Conceicao with a close fight where the decision was given originally to the Brazilian only to be overturned and given back to Loma. I thought Loma was the rightful winner and the clear winner as well, but he got hit a lot.
My point is that Loma has had close fights in his amateur career. Rigondeaux hasn't. Nobody has come even close.
Yasnier Toledo is an excellent Cuban fighter but he is not Rigondeaux, neither are Salimov and Conceicao. They are at least a level or 2 below Rigondeaux, in terms of pure natural talent, athleticism, skills and boxing IQ.
Now the people that think Loma is going to set up a pace on Rigo, crowd him and beat him with his strength down the stretch might be wrong.
If Loma couldn't do that with Russell, took him 5,6 rounds to start crowding Martinez, there is no way that will work against Rigo. And fighters don't just run in on Rigo. There is a reason you can't run in on Rigo.
The same way Loma decided to stop running in on Toledo in the 2012 Olympics semifinal is the same way he will stop running in on Rigo who is much more accurate and precise. Besides, Loma doesn't run in on opponents that early in fights as he did in the amateurs.
Loma's big advantage is footwork from the southpaw stance. That advantage against Rigo is no more. Rigo's got the better footwork and Rigo himself is a southpaw.
Loma relies on Speed. Rigo is faster. Loma uses high guard where he exposes his torso and that's where he's been most vulnerable both as an amateur and as a professional and Rigo is a viscous body puncher.
The advantages that Loma has right now over Rigo are: size, strength, youth, physical condition and timing.
Will they be enough against Rigo?
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