Page 20 - Boxing News Magazine (January 2020)

Photo: ACTION IMAGES/LEE SMITH Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ANDREW COULDRIDGE Photo: JON DURR/USA TODAY SPORTS

. NAOYA INOUE VS . VASYL LOMACHENKO . OLEKSANDR USYK

5 JUAN FRANCISCO ESTRADA 6 VS TEOFIMO LOPEZ 7 VS DILLIAN WHYTE

HOW about this clash of little giants? Inoue – THIS fight wouldn’t have made this list if not HAVING completely unified the cruiserweight
a three-weight world champion – became a for Lopez’s blistering performance when he division, last year Usyk made his inevitable
star in 2019 by prevailing in the bantamweight wrecked IBF lightweight champion Richard move up to heavyweight, dominating
World Boxing Super Series tournament and Commey inside two rounds in December. unheralded Chazz Witherspoon on his
is on the hunt for more career-defining fights The unbeaten youngster has been pursuing showcase in the banner division. By virtue of
after his colossal tussle with Nonito Donaire Lomachenko for a while, and though clearly the WBO’s rules when one of their champions
in the final. In Estrada, a two-weight king and talented, it seemed a little too soon for him moves up in weight, he is mandatory
current super-flyweight champion, Inoue to be jumping in with someone like “Loma”. challenger to Joshua, who holds that
would perhaps be looking at his perfect foil. However, the way he dispatched Commey heavyweight title. However, it looks as though
An excellent boxer-puncher, Estrada fights at launched him onto the world stage and front the unbeaten Ukrainian might have to wait for
a relentless pace and has mixed with – and of the queue for Lomachenko’s next fight – the his shot – no bad thing, as it allows him more
beaten – some of the best in the world. Ukrainian even said, “See you in April,” after time to settle into the weight.
While very successful up at bantamweight, Lopez’s win. Whyte has been waiting for his crack at
Inoue’s punishing win over Donaire suggests They’re both with Top Rank, and it seems the WBC strap for what seems like a decade,
that, for longevity, he should perhaps return Bob Arum had been plotting this fight for and it doesn’t sound like it’ll come in 2020
to weight classes more suited to his smaller sometime soon anyway. Lopez’s brash either. In terms of what he’s proven in the ring
frame, so why not drop back to super-fly and personality and explosive style make him a at heavyweight, he’s arguably the division’s
face the current division leader? No, it would fascinating opponent for Lomachenko, who is standout top contender (if you’re not counting
not move the needle with casual fans, but constantly on the hunt for worthy adversaries. Tyson Fury, who sits comfortably in the top
stylistically it guarantees excitement and pits Technically, Lomachenko no longer holds three). Now, it might be harsh to pitch Whyte
two of the standout fighters from the smaller the WBC title since he became their ‘Franchise’ in yet another final eliminator, especially
weight classes against each other. champion, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to against someone as good as Usyk, but it
As far as we’re aware, there’s been no move view a fight with Lopez as one for undisputed would be a fascinating examination of just
to get this fight made, particularly as Inoue supremacy of the division. For now, Lopez, 22, how well Usyk could do amongst the giants,
may have no intention of moving down, but is certainly one of the more exciting challenges plus it would offer Whyte a route back into the
we can hope. for Lomachenko. light after a dark few months recently.
LIKELIHOOD: 4/10 LIKELIHOOD: 9/10 LIKELIHOOD: 5/10

Photo: ED MULHOLLAND/MATCHROOM Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ANDREW COULDRIDGE Photo: ACTION IMAGES/ANDREW COULDRIDGE

18 O BOXING NEWS O JANUARY 9, 2020 w w w . b o x i n g n e w s o n l i n e . n e t