Vasiliy Lomachenko Decisions Luke Campbell to Nearly Unify Lightweight Crown

Assorted Greatness from Vasiliy Lomachenko (vs. Luke Campbell) pic.twitter.com/BmLpyoY4RX

— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) August 31, 2019

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It was a tougher fight than most expected, but Vasiliy Lomachenko took home the win nevertheless.

Lomachenko improved to 14-1 with 10 KOs by defeating England’s Luke Campbell via 12-round unanimous decision at O2 Arena in London on Saturday. The victory allowed “Hi-Tech” to not only retain his WBA and WBO lightweight championship belts, but also tack on the vacant WBC 135-pound strap as well, but it wasn’t the walk in park many expected.

Campbell, who captured a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, fought well early against the man regarded as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport. “Cool Hand” used his five-inch reach to keep the Ukrainian superstar at bay for the first few rounds and even buzzed Lomachenko with a loopy overhand right to the face in the second. However, that success was relatively short-lived as Lomachenko eventually found his groove.

Lomachenko began backing the Brit up with his right jab and then ripped a vicious left hook to the liver late in the fifth. The shot hurt Campbell, who retreated and had to cover up the incoming barrage of punches to the body and head. Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) survived the round, but was stricken by the same assault two rounds later after clipping the champion with a left hook to the head.

With time slipping away from the challenger and him needing to turn the tides, Campbell tried to press the issue in the 11th. Unfortunately for Campbell, Lomachenko drilled him with a perfect counter left hook on the inside and then raked a series of blows to the guts. A right to the face was the deal sealer and Campbell, helplessly behind on the scorecards at this point, took a knee.

Lomachenko was unable to finish him off and wound up coasting in the final round to earn a hard-fought but well-deserved unanimous decision. One judge favored the Lomachenko 118-109 while the other two officials had it 119-108. Sherdog.com still had Lomachenko winning easily, but by the tally of 117-110.

Lomachenko, who has captured Olympic gold in both the ’12 and ’08 Games as well as winning professional world championships in three weight classes already, is targeting the winner of IBF lightweight champ Richard Commey and Teofimo Lopez fight in December to become the first to unify the 135-pound division since the late, great Pernell Whitaker.