Pound for pound king Vasyl Lomachenko faces Britain's Luke Campbell in London on Saturday with the WBA, WBO, WBC and Ring magazine titles on the line. RT sport takes a look back at Loma's five biggest victories.
Rocky Martinez, KO Round 5 - Becoming a Two-weight World Champ
Despite having captured the WBO featherweight title in his third paid outing, sceptics about Lomachenko was without a signature KO win over a genuine world class fighter ahead of his step up from featherweight to super featherweight.
In his seventh fight, rough tough Puerto Rican Roman ‘Rocky’ Martinez, already a three-time world champion at super featherweight, provided by far the sternest test of his career, having fought some of the world’s best at the weight and with his only two previous defeats coming in championship fights.
Despite the pre-fight doubts, Lomachenko bullied Martinez around the ring, dominating him from the first bell until a series of hard shots finished by a reverse one-two put Martinez on his back and out for the count.
The win was signed with a back flip as a dazed Martinez struggled to come round. The former champion would later say that he “couldn’t see” Lomachenko’s hands that led to the knockout blows, a chilling indictment of the precision of Lomachenko, who captured his second title in two weight classes.
Jorge Linares, TKO Round 10 - Three-time World Champ
Jorge Linares was a TV darling and two-weight world champion who was coming off the back of seven straight world title fight wins when Lomachenko faced the Japan-based Venezualen in May 2018 at Madison Square Garden for the WBA lightweight title, in an attempt to become a three-weight world champion.
Linares’ hand speed was considered just about as fast as Lomachenko’s and his flashy combinations caused the Ukranian problems throughout the fight. Incredibly, Linares scored a legitimate knockdown with a precise right hand straight down the pipe that stiffened Loma’s legs and put him on the seat of his pants for the first time in his career.
The fight was perhaps the most entertaining of Lomachenko’s career and the toughness and experience of Linares saw him through to round ten, the furthest Lomachenko had been taken in three whole years.
In the end, a bullet left hand to the body put Linares down in the tenth. Linares attempted to rise but again doubled over at a count of nine, forcing the referee to call the fight off, which was met with no complaint from Linares, and Lomachenko was crowned a three weight world champion.
Guillermo Rigondeaux, Retired Round 6 - Winning the P4P Battle
A fight between Rigondeux and Lomachenko was billed as a fight for the ages back in 2017, with the two fighters reckoned by many as two of the pound for pound best boxers on the planet came together for the WBO super featherweight title.
Rigondeaux was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, coming from the famed Cuban school of boxing, and was making the step up two weight divisions from having reigned as lineal and unified super bantamweight champion, outclassing each of his previous opponents.
Fans were eager to see which of the two master technicians from the lower weight divisions would come out on top. As it turned out, Lomachenko was no match for the smaller Rigondeaux, who was frustrated to the point of quitting on his stool at the end of the sixth round.
It was the fourth straight retirement win for Lomachenko, after previously battering world level fighters Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa and Manuel Marriaga, and gave rise to his nickname ‘No-mas-chenko’.
Gary Russell Jr., majority decision - First World Title
After a debated split decision loss to veteran Orlando Salido for the WBO featherweight title in just his second fight, Lomachenko faced Gary Russell Jr. in a bid to right that wrong in his third.
Russell had come through the amateur ranks in the States being billed as 'the new Sugar Ray Leonard' and had been named 'Prospect of the Year' by Ring magazine, Sports Illustrated and ESPN in 2011.
Russell was too going for his first world title but had racked up 24 career wins without defeat before taking on Lomachenko, who had gone one win and one defeat in his only two pro bouts.
The American pushed Loma all the way but eventually it was the Ukrainian who came out on top to claim his first ever world title in just his third fight by a majority decision.
Han Soon-Chul, Unanimous decision - Twp-time Olympic Champ
One of the greatest amateur boxers of all time, Lomachenko’s glittering record in the unpaid ranks stood at 396 wins and only one loss, to Russia’s Albert Selimov, which he later avenged twice.
Perhaps the best moment of his amateur career was the moment Loma clinched his second Olympic gold medal at the 2012 London Games. Having already won featherweight gold at the 2008 Games, Loma flew to Britain to compete in the lightweight division.
Loma proved why he was favorite by beating Wellington Arias of the Dominican Republic, Felix Verdejo of Puerto Rico and Cuba’s Yasniel Toledo to set up a final tie with South Korea’s Han Soon-Chul. The Ukrainian won a 19-9 decision to clinch his second gold medal, and tie up his final turning over to professional one year later and beginning his journey to world dominance.