Boxing Picks: Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Picks

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Picks

It's been an interesting year for boxing and the effects of Covid-19 have been widespread with the majority of the great fights planned for this year cancelled. Saturday sees the biggest fight of the post-pandemic era and it's the first time we've seen one of top level stars since the outbreak begun. Luckily for us this fight isn't on PPV, with ESPN making the decision to air the fight on cable, allowing the American public to watch it.

Vasyl Lomachenko needs no introduction, he's regarded by many as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world and one of the greatest talents to ever grace a ring. As an amateur he won an astounding 396 bouts, losing only once. That one loss being something replicated in his professional career, as he sits with a 14-1 record. That loss was contraversial but losing in your second professional fight, a world title fight no less, isn't the end of the world and Lomachenko has continued to grow into one of the finest technicians in the world. In just 15 fights he's become a three weight World Champion and the list of opponents he's beaten reads like a list of modern greats.

His opponent, Teofimo Lopez, has been talked up as one of the best up and coming boxers on the planet and at just 23, he's also had fifteen pro fights, winning 12 by knockout. His victory over Richard Commey in 2019 was spectacular and there is a real danger that he could cause an upset here.

Lomachenko's rise up the weights has been incredible but he's looked more and more human as he's climbed, and against Lopez he may have found his match. Lomachenko may be a relative newbie at professional level, but he's now 32 and has a lot of miles on the clock in both the pros and amateurs. Luke Campbell gave Loma a tough fight when they met, as did Jose Pedraza, which begs the question of whether it was complacency, father time or the rise in weight, which has caused issues. If it's the latter then there could be trouble ahead. Lopez is massive, and has the physical attributes to cause real issues if he can connect with Lomachenko. He's got the reach to do damage and has dynamite in his gloves, but the issue that anybody has when fighting the Ukranian is actually managing to hit him.

Lomachenko's greatest skill is his footwork, his movement keeps him safe when on the defensive, using his cat like reflexes to move in and out, avoiding a clean hit. They don't call him 'The Matrix' for nothing. It's these skills that lead me to be confident that Lomachenko still wins. Loma has the intelligence and nous to ensure that he can limit Lopez's ability to hit him clean, while also utilizing his combinations and quick feints and movement to cause problems. Lopez's size will be an issue though and it seems unlikely that Lomachenko will get a stoppage, given the struggles he had with the likes of Luke Campbell, which means I have to take Lomachenko to win by decision and -110.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Expert Picks

1u - Lomachenko to win by decision @ -110

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Fight Time

Saturday, Oct. 17

Time (main card): 10 p.m. ET

The main card begins at 10 p.m ET, with is 7pm local time for the fight in Las Vegas.

The undercard begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Where to watch Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez

ESPN is the place to watch the Lomachenko vs. Lopez fight card,you will also be able to stream the  Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez on ESPN+.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Undercard

• Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez, lightweight.
• Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Alex Saucedo, junior welterweight.
• Edgar Berlanga vs. Lanell Bellows, super middleweight.
• Josue Vargas vs. Kendo Castaneda, junior welterweight.
• Jose Enrique Durantes Vivas vs. John Vincent Moralde, featherweight.
• Quatavious Cash vs. Quincy LaVallais, middleweight.
• Quinton Randall vs. Jan Carlos Rivera, welterweight.
• Jahi Tucker vs. Charles Garner, welterweight.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez Tale Of The Tape