Notebook: Loma faces Commey with eyes on new lightweight champion Kambosos
Casimero withdraws from defense; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Vasiliy Lomachenko’s goal has not changed. He remains determined to become the undisputed lightweight champion even though his road to that opportunity is more complicated now than it was a year ago.
A year ago, he was a unified champion and the pound-for-pound king to many when he faced Teofimo Lopez to unify three of the major belts in October 2020. Lomachenko was the big favorite, but barely fought over the first six rounds, and even though he finished strong still lost a unanimous decision and the belts.
As it turned out, Lomachenko boxed with a right shoulder that had been injured in training camp. Days after the fight, he had it surgically repaired and rued the fact that he had no rematch clause in the contract.
Lomachenko returned in June and looked like the old Lomachenko — not an old Lomachenko — as he took apart Japanese contender Masayoshi Nakatani in a ninth-round knockout.
Now Lomachenko, who is ranked No. 1 at 135 pounds by the WBO and WBC, is risking that status by facing power-punching former titlist Richard Commey in a 12-rounder in the main event of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday night. A win will would put Lomachenko into the mandatory for position for a shot at George Kambosos Jr., who dethroned Lopez on Nov. 27.
I wrote about Lomachenko’s situation and goals as well as his thoughts on Lopez’s loss to Kambosos for The Ring magazine website at RingTV.com. Please read that story here: https://www.ringtv.com/631928-vasiliy-lomachenko-in-perfect-shape-for-richard-commey-targets-kambosos-in-2022/
Casimero out, Agbeko in
There was a big change to Probellum’s world title doubleheader on Saturday (AXS TV) at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. WBO bantamweight titlist John Riel Casimero has withdrawn from his mandatory bout with Paul Butler citing a bout with gastritis that sent him to the American Hospital Dubai on Thursday.
Butler (33-2, 15 KOs), 33, of England, will instead face extremely short notice replacement and former bantamweight titlist Joseph Agbeko (38-5, 28 KOs), 44, of Ghana, who was on site and on weight. They will meet for the vacant interim title.
The WBO has ordered three-division titleholder Casimero to “show cause” by sending the organization his medical records from the hospital visit to prove his reason for pulling out. If Casimero (31-4, 21 KOs), 32, of the Philippines, who was to make his third title defense, does not provide the information within 10 days, the WBO will strip him and the Butler-Agbeko winner will elevated to the full titlist.
The main event goes on as planned with Sunny Edwards making his mandatory IBF flyweight title defense against Jayson Mama.
“In light of your alleged medical condition and unavailability to participate in the WBO Championship bout against Butler, Probellum informed the WBO that current number 10 rated WBO Bantamweight Contender Joseph Agbeko is ready, willing and able to participate against Butler,” the WBO wrote in its letter to Casimero. “Therefore, (Probellum’s Harrison) Whitman seeks authorization to grant sanction approval for the WBO Bantamweight Championship Title between Butler & Agbeko.”
Quick hits
Weights from New York for the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Saturday (9 p.m. ET): Vasiliy Lomachenko 134.4 pounds, Richard Commey 134.2; Jared Anderson 240, Oleksandr Teslenko 213.8; Keyshawn Davis 137.8, Jose Zaragoza; Nico Ali Walsh 159.2, Reyes Sanchez 161.8; Xander Zayas 152.6, Alessio Mastronunzio 152.2; Pablo Valdez 146, Julio Cesar Sanchez 149.6; James Wilkins 127.2, Juan Tapia 129.4; Joe Ward 175.2, Britton Norwood 176.4; Kelvin Davis 144, Ryan Schwartzberg 144.8; John Bauza 140.2, Michael Williams Jr. 138.6.
Weights from Carson, Calif., for PBC card on Showtime on Saturday (10 p.m. ET/PT): Nonito Donaire 117.2, Reymart Gaballo 117 (for Donaire’s WBC bantam title); Kudratillo Abdukakhorov 146.2, Cody Crowley 145.4; Brandun Lee 140, Juan Heraldez 144 (Heraldez over contract weight by 2 pounds, will be fined).
Weights from Liverpool, England, for the Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN on Saturday (1 p.m. ET): Conor Benn 146.5 pounds; Chris Algieri 146; Katie Taylor 134.75, Firuza Sharipova 134.25 (for Taylor’s women’s undisputed lightweight title); Robbie Davies Jr. 139.25, Hank Lundy 141.25; Joe Cordina 129.75, Miko Khatchatryan 129.75; Peter McGrail 123.25, Engel Gomez 124.75; Caoimhin Agyarko 159.25, Noe Larios Jr. 160; Paddy Lacey 157, Vasif Mamedov 160; Jordan Gill 128.75, Alan Isaias Luques Castillo 127; Calum French 140.25, Rustem Fatkhullin 140.75.
WBA cruiserweight titlist Arsen Goulamirian (26-0, 18 KOs), 34, of France, has tested positive for Covid-19, forcing him to withdraw from his mandatory defense against Aleksei Egorov (11-0, 7 KOs), 30, of Russia, on Friday. The fight was scheduled to take place Saturday in Ekaterinburg, Russia, on the card that also features WBA light heavyweight titlist Dmitry Bivol defending against Umar Salamov. Goulamirian began to feel on Thursday, was tested on Friday morning and it came back positive for Covid.
Show and tell
Last year Miguel Cotto appeared on the International Hall of Fame ballot for the first time but fell short of election due to overwhelming competition from others on the first ballot for the first time. Only three are elected in the modern men’s category and Cotto was trumped Wladimir Klitschko, Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward. This year there was no question he would be one of the three elected, and he was, along with Roy Jones Jr. (first ballot) and holdover James Toney in the class of 2022. Cotto more than deserves his place in Canastota, New York, where inductions will take place on June 12. I certainly voted for him and it was not remotely a tough box to check. There were few fighters of his time more consistently outstanding, exciting, popular and willing to fight anyone than Cotto (41-6, 33 KOs), who is the only Puerto Rican man to win world titles in four weight classes (junior welterweight, welterweight, junior middleweight and middleweight), which is huge considering how many great fighters the island has produced.
I was fortunate to cover Cotto’s entire career and it was a joy to be ringside for 25 of his of 47 fights. If you’re interested in which ones, well, here you go: Arturo Rodriguez, Walkimi Young, Justin Juuko, John Brown, Demetrio Ceballos, Lovemore NDou, Randall Bailey, Ricardo Torres, Carlos Quintana, Oktay Urkal, Zab Judah, Shane Mosley, Alfonso Gomez, Antonio Margarito I and II, Michael Jennings, Joshua Clottey, Manny Pacquiao, Yuri Foreman, Floyd Mayweather, Delvin Rodriguez, Sergio Martinez, Daniel Geale, Canelo Alvarez, Sadam Ali.
In honor of Cotto’s election to the HOF, here is an autograph card from the 2017 Topps Allen & Ginter set in my collection.
Lomachenko photos: Mikey Williams Top Rank; Butler-Agbeko photo: Probellum
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Sources say Casimero's gastritis being caused by being too full of 💩