Vasyl Lomachenko is respected as one of the greatest fighters of this generation.
The Ukrainian is aiming to become the undisputed lightweight world champion in 2023, with a Devin Haney fight on the horizon if he can get past Jamaine Ortiz on Saturday night.
Loma’s record as an amateur is the stuff of legend; avenging his only defeat in the unpaid ranks to finish with an astonishing 396-1 record, becoming a double Olympic champion in the process and generating the sort of headlines a seasoned professional could only dream about.
And the Ukrainian set about creating history as soon as he became a paid pugilist, making history when he won a world title in a third weight division in just his 12th pro fight.
Lomachenko moved up to lightweight, his current division, to face pound-for-pound king Jorge Linares in May 2018 at Madison Square Garden and had to climb off the canvas to do so.
Not only did he encounter the most adversity of his entire career when he hit the floor, he also had to do so with virtually one hand for the entire fight after suffering a torn labrum injury.
Speaking to the Fight Disciples after his historic evening in New York City, the 34-year-old admitted he had to alter his tactics in order to swing the fight back in his direction.
He said: “Yeah of course, after the second round I feel a pain and in the third round, I try and make one more punch - a right hook.
“And after that, I understood I could not use this punch.”
After host and talkSPORT presenter Adam Catterall conveyed his sheer surprise and confirmed he had stopped one of the best fighters on the planet with just one hand, Lomachenko continued.
“One and a half! Because I can use a jab, I can use an uppercut, but I can’t use a hook.
“I think after five or six rounds he understands about his defence because I use only jab and the uppercut and he used his defence only in this position.
“He stayed close, only to his face. Then I go ten rounds and I understand I have to finish the fight.
“I have only three rounds and I feel a pain, but I understand it’s a couple of minutes so I hold the pain and I try one more time to make a hook punch.
“After that, he opened his face and I make a left straight and after that, he put up his hands, close off his face and then I make my favourite punch – the body punch.”
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