The guy is a fighter, so I knew when he promised me he’d fire me his take on what the Vasiliy Lomachenko vs Luke Campbell scrap on Saturday would look like sooner rather than later, he’d come through.
Tommy “Razor” Rainone, age 39, last gloved up himself in February 2018, but he’s had some offers to get back in the ring, and so he’s now entered back into ‘get ready’ mode.
“I sparred seven rounds yesterday,” the 26-8-3 fighter/analyst told me, and, he admitted, he’s had more fun doing other things than that. “But I gotta get back in shape.”
And, gotta eat; Rainone told me he’d fire me his Loma-Luke lowdown after he came back from Little Italy, where he was meeting friends for lunch on Wednesday.
The joint’s specialty is chicken parm, he said…And his specialty, as a fighter, was getting angles, fighting smart, using guile and ring generalship more so than power. Rainone, a Long Island, NY resident, has six KOs to his credit. We touched on ring generalship, and more, when we sat ringside last Friday, at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, Ma., for a Facebook Fightnight Live show, promoted by Murphys Boxing. (show did 258,000 views to date).
Thanks to Rainone for giving us his insights into the Loma title defense, which comes on the other guys’ home turf, and can be seen on ESPN+, ESPN’s online “TV” presence. Fights at O2 Arena in London start at 1 PM ET, for the record.
The WBA/WBO lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko will go for the vacant (left behind by Mikey Garcia) WBC version, as well; since rising to 135 his goal has been to become the undisputed lightweight champion.
“Lomachenko going to the UK to defend his titles against Campbell should be an indication of just how confident Loma is in his own abilities,” said Rainone, below interviewing Carlos Gongora on Fightnight Live.
“Campbell is a very solid fighter and a legit contender. He has two split decision losses against Mendy and Linares with the common denominator being that in both those fights he was dropped. Had he not suffered a knockdown in each of those close losses he would be undefeated today as those split decision losses would have been victories. Campbell is missing that signature victory but does have a solid resume of good wins over worthy fighters and he backs his record up with an Olympic gold medal. All that being said, Lomacheko is operating on another level not just from Campbell but from the rest of the sport. His talent, skill set, confidence and unique style are like no other in the sport. Campbell will be very game but learn first-hand about the before-mentioned and be stopped late, via the ref waving it off or his corner pulling the plug. Waving the white flag isn’t out of the question either as Loma has stolen many a fighters’ soul and made them quit on their stool. Any which way, this fight will not go the distance and Loma will look spectacular.”
I like the confidence in that summation; now, what say YOU, reader?
On Twitter, give your take…Who wins and HOW, Lomachenko vs. Campbell?
Me, I realized that Loma hadn’t been at his best because of right shoulder woes…and once healed, he looked other-worldly…if he is 100% healthy, I’m with Rainone…I foresee the Ukrainian looking “spectacular,” making Luke wish he’d fought a lefty since he last did it in 2013, and stopping Campbell’s steady ascent as a pro on a dime.
Founder/editor Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson.
The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999.
Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.