Lomachenko versus Lopez: Stylistic Matchup, Strengths, Weakness, Predictions

[Cypocryphy]

So, I've nerded out on these two, going over footage, over film to see how they matchup stylistically, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how each might approach fighting one another.

I've heard a lot of people come up with different theories, and this might be a good place to put forth such theories; attack plans, defensive plans, tendencies of each fighter and what-have-you.

Right now, I can tell you that Teofimo is a Michigan Shell Defense kind of guy, and Loma tends to use the Peekaboo Cus style, but slightly augmented.

Lopez favors the back foot, likes to set traps and counter, while Loma likes to come forward, not aggressively but intelligently, confusing his opponent with feints, changing angles, blindsiding and many other cool tricks.

I'm still going to think about this before I lay out how I think it's going to go, but in the mean time, please feel free to give your take.

Granted, a large part of this will be dependent on how camp goes, etc., but considering all things being equal, how do you think it will go?

P.S. I encourage everyone to try to be impartial about this.

[R-Hand Southpaw]

Based of the small sample size we've gotten from Teofimo Lopez im picking Lomachenko by TKO.

Lomachenko at 135 is a way different animal compared to his 126 and 130 counter parts and I don't say that as he's better but his game is more rounded as he now fights on the inside.

In this fight Teofimo literally only has a punchers chance and that's it.

The kind of fighters that with give Lomachenko fits are those that will either

1) Fight dirty with Lomachenko and be willing to exchange

2) Play defense and fight the long game from the outside and be non reactive to his feints

I dont think Lopez is either of those. From watching his last 3 fights hes pretty flat footed and fights very linear.

He relies a lot on his left hook often making it a leaping left hook and looks like he can get frustrated when his shots are not as effective as he wants it to be or if they dont land.

Compare Lopezs offense and defense to Lomachenko and i think in both categories hes inferior.

What makes good fighters elite and separates them from others in my opinion is their defense. Lopez has average defense for a supposed elite fighter. He gets hit with a lot of jabs and that philly shell is trash.

Lomachenko will just walk around it all night and Lopez won't have an answer. See Loma vs Rigo. When a guy plants to bend at the waist using a Philly shell, Loma has already seen it. Plus being orthodox vs southpaw will do him no favors.

I think that Lopez will get frustrated and try and bully Lomachenkl but as much as the narrative says Lopez is bigger, stronger, younger, every opponent Lomachenko has fought at 135 has been considerably bigger than him and Lopez.

So how's that going to work? Also consider that we've never actually seen Lopez work on the inside and Lomachenko has been utilizing that skill set since Pedraza.

The fight will probably go like this.

Lomachenko starts by fighting from the outside and allows Lopez to try and bully him like he said. Lopez loses a few rounds.

Then Lopez thinks he succeesful getting into his preferred range, mid range, only to find that Lomachenko is better in mid range then him and only let him into mid range because he wanted him there.

Frustrated Teo tries to impose his size and turns it into a close range slug fest hoping to land something only to find that he can't fight on the inside and that Lomachenko can.

That's how I see this fight happening.

A lot of people think that Lomachenko has slipped and admittedly he has just a bit. But thats only because his style has changed from his 126 and 130 days.

To be successful at 135 Lomachenko needed to sit on his punches thus gave up a lot of the glamor his style had before. I think Papachenko realized this after the Linares fight. It wasn't that you cant outbox a guy at 135 but its harder because most of the guys are bigger and longer than Lomachenko plus they'll fight you dirty.

That's why when you see Loma vs Pedrasa you see Loma take more hits because he was trying something new. He turned from a boxer puncher pretty much into a brawler. Very young Mike Tyson and Duran esque.

[BLASTER1]

Based of the small sample size we've gotten from Teofimo Lopez im picking Lomachenko by TKO.

Lomachenko at 135 is a way different animal compared to his 126 and 130 counter parts and I don't say that as he's better but his game is more rounded as he now fights on the inside.

In this fight Teofimo literally only has a punchers chance and that's it.

The kind of fighters that with give Lomachenko fits are those that will either

1) Fight dirty with Lomachenko and be willing to exchange

2) Play defense and fight the long game from the outside and be non reactive to his feints

I dont think Lopez is either of those. From watching his last 3 fights hes pretty flat footed and fights very linear.

He relies a lot on his left hook often making it a leaping left hook and looks like he can get frustrated when his shots are not as effective as he wants it to be or if they dont land.

Compare Lopezs offense and defense to Lomachenko and i think in both categories hes inferior.

What makes good fighters elite and separates them from others in my opinion is their defense. Lopez has average defense for a supposed elite fighter. He gets hit with a lot of jabs and that philly shell is trash.

Lomachenko will just walk around it all night and Lopez won't have an answer. See Loma vs Rigo. When a guy plants to bend at the waist using a Philly shell, Loma has already seen it. Plus being orthodox vs southpaw will do him no favors.

I think that Lopez will get frustrated and try and bully Lomachenkl but as much as the narrative says Lopez is bigger, stronger, younger, every opponent Lomachenko has fought at 135 has been considerably bigger than him and Lopez.

So how's that going to work? Also consider that we've never actually seen Lopez work on the inside and Lomachenko has been utilizing that skill set since Pedraza.

The fight will probably go like this.

Lomachenko starts by fighting from the outside and allows Lopez to try and bully him like he said. Lopez loses a few rounds.

Then Lopez thinks he succeesful getting into his preferred range, mid range, only to find that Lomachenko is better in mid range then him and only let him into mid range because he wanted him there.

Frustrated Teo tries to impose his size and turns it into a close range slug fest hoping to land something only to find that he can't fight on the inside and that Lomachenko can.

That's how I see this fight happening.

A lot of people think that Lomachenko has slipped and admittedly he has just a bit. But thats only because his style has changed from his 126 and 130 days.

To be successful at 135 Lomachenko needed to sit on his punches thus gave up a lot of the glamor his style had before. I think Papachenko realized this after the Linares fight. It wasn't that you cant outbox a guy at 135 but its harder because most of the guys are bigger and longer than Lomachenko plus they'll fight you dirty.

That's why when you see Loma vs Pedrasa you see Loma take more hits because he was trying something new. He turned from a boxer puncher pretty much into a brawler. Very young Mike Tyson and Duran esque.

Bro bro awesome take on this fight,im new to boxing and cant put it into words like you just did all i can say is i don't see Loma losing a single round.

[R-Hand Southpaw]

Bro bro awesome take on this fight,im new to boxing and cant put it into words like you just did all i can say is i don't see Loma losing a single round.

I just think Loma has too much in the tool box.

Lopez just doesn't have the same kind of tools Lomachenkos past 135 guys presented him and that starts with reach.

By having 68 inches of reach hes much closer to the reach he faced at 130 rather than at 135 where all the guys were close to 70 or more.

He's not physically bigger either and compared to those other guys lacks the experience they have.

I also think he, Lopez, will gas badly if the fight heads into the later rounds. A lot of his punches he explodes out of his stance. He's been looking pretty big during this quarantined so he'll be drained. And finally I dont think he will be able to deal with Lomachenkos relentless pressure and pace.

Watch Teo vs Nakatani. Teos only 12 round fight. Both guys looked tired and both guys took moments where they gave each other breaks in between exchanges.

Lomachenko isnt going to do that for one second. Plus hes personally pissed Lomachenko off and the last time we saw Loma motivsted he humiliated Rigo and semi retired him.

[R-Hand Southpaw]

So, I've nerded out on these two, going over footage, over film to see how they matchup stylistically, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how each might approach fighting one another.

I've heard a lot of people come up with different theories, and this might be a good place to put forth such theories; attack plans, defensive plans, tendencies of each fighter and what-have-you.

Right now, I can tell you that Teofimo is a Michigan Shell Defense kind of guy, and Loma tends to use the Peekaboo Cus style, but slightly augmented.

Lopez favors the back foot, likes to set traps and counter, while Loma likes to come forward, not aggressively but intelligently, confusing his opponent with feints, changing angles, blindsiding and many other cool tricks.

I'm still going to think about this before I lay out how I think it's going to go, but in the mean time, please feel free to give your take.

Granted, a large part of this will be dependent on how camp goes, etc., but considering all things being equal, how do you think it will go?

P.S. I encourage everyone to try to be impartial about this.

Isn't it funny how all the guys talking a lot if **** refuse to post their education opinions?

Lmfao. Welcome to boxingscene.

Their complaints were never about the boxing aspect because they know nothing.