Win or Lose?
I have a friend who lives in Las Vegas, Nevada; a gambling mecca for the United States. He called me up early yesterday to ask my opinion about the fight between Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Jorge Linares. He knows I am an avid boxing fan and have a pretty good sense for boxing fight outcomes.
On the phone, he explained to me that Jorge Linares was an underdog with something like 9 - 1 odds against his winning the fight against Lomachenko. He continued explaining that his friend, a boxing trainer and father to a pro boxer, was placing $1000 US Dollars on Linares to win on the chance that he could make $10,000 total from this bet. He went on about Linares and his boxing career and skills for a few minutes until he paused and asked if I was still listening.
I stood silent for a moment on the phone, and finally replied that I was listening to everything he said, but that there was no need to convince me, since I wasn't making the bet. I said that because that is exactly what it sounded like, him trying to convince but more for his own sake and benefit in order to place that bet, and maybe get me to co-sign on it.
So I put the brakes on that idea quickly. I told him that I believed Jorge Linares, the current WBA Lightweight champ, to be a great boxer and warrior, with a great boxing record of 44-3, but that Vasyl Lomachenko was a phenomenon, a boxer in his own class. I told him that in my eyes Linares, who looked the most excellent I have ever seen him at the weigh in, was at the peak or just slightly past his peak with too many wars under his belt. While Lomachenko, with only a 10-1 record, might be mistaken for a young rookie, which he is not due to his some 400 amateur fights (of which he only lost a very few). And his only professional fight loss was a decision robbery against a hardened fight veteran named Orlando Salido
I ranted about Vasyl Lomachenko's boxing skills, speed and stamina. I explained to my friend that their is a reason why his nick name is "Hi-Tech." I said, Vasyl Lomachenko is like a living encyclopedia of boxing speed, skills and technique with a robot machine like quality because he just does not stop.
He hits you, 'bop, bop, bop.....Bap!'
Then he is on your side hitting you 'bap, bap, BOP!'
And before you know it, he has you spun around, swinging at the air, and you don't even know where he is, because he is now behind you!
Save your money I said. Either bet Vasyl Lomachenko to win or give me the money if you are that serious about throwing it away. So he said he would not place the bet.
And that is how I saved my friend from losing $1000, because after an amazing 10 rounds of between two great boxers last night, Lomachenko TKO'd Linares with a solid left body shot to the kidney in the 10th round.
Upcoming Fights
Future calls, Horn vs. Crawford - Crawford in the 9th by KO
Now ask me about Mikey Garcia vs Vasyl Lomachenko - If they make this one happen soon, this would be anyone's guess but an AMAZING boxing match between two amazing boxing phenoms.
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Pic 1 - Bloody Elbow