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Who Can Say What Happens in the Future? Jab Hook Has a Link to the Matrix
Vasiliy Lomachenko 12(9)-1 vs. Anthony Crolla 34(13)-6(1)-3, boxing 12 rounds for Lomachenko's WBA and WBO lightweight titles.
Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla is principly a British boxer. In his career of over twelve years he has only fought outside the UK once each in Germany, USA, and Ireland. Early on, Crolla gained experience on the club circuit with the level of opposition one finds in such venues. Finally stepped up in 2010 vs Andy Morris, looked good with a TKO and went on to stop his next two opponents as well.
Stepped up higher to the MGM Grand in his 2011 USA debut on the undercard of Mayweather vs Ortiz. But a handpicked, “professional“ opponent from Mexico became a nightmare. Juan Montiel gave Crolla hell and nearly took the win. A split-decision gift for the Brit was the beginning of a career pattern that saw Anthony Crolla winning only 12 of his next 19 bouts. That included three draws, another unusual part of his career progression.
On the other hand, “Million Dollar” has lots of grit, and not an ounce of quit in him. Volume punching, a good chin, great conditioning, and a Mancunian heart have made him the working class boxer he is today. A man who went 24 rounds with the great Jorge Linares, losing the back to back bouts, but managing to win a few of the rounds. Crolla has won three in row since October 2017 and will provide fans with an ideal style to feature the skills and boxing expertise of Vasiliy Lomachenko.
They call him “Hi Tech“, “The Matrix“, and “No-mas-chenko“. He who forced 4 professional boxers in a row to quit, and followed that up by out-boxing and stopping “Golden boy“ Linares. However, in his last bout on December 8th, 2018 the myth of Lomachenko and the huge expectations that his legendary skills provoke made his strong performance against Jose Pedraza seem a bit disappointing. Loma even lost a couple of rounds, which he has not done in a long time.
So Vasiliy Lomachenko started to look human, or was he just being careful with how he implemented his right hand after a surgical repair of his shoulder 7 months before. In any case, Jose Pedraza looked great as he got clearly beaten. He seemed to use the right tactics and strategy against Loma. Then came the 11th round, when Lomachenko took it up a gear or two landing 42 power punches in the 11th , dropping Pedraza twice. The tough Puerto Rican got up and survived the last minutes of the bout.
Will this next matchup return Loma to “The Matrix“? Can he cash in on “Million Dollar”?
Jab believes Crolla has been selected for exactly that purpose. His style will allow Loma to set him up and to out box him in a variety of ways. The question is whether Papa-chenko wants to implement a “Hi Tech“ showcase strategy or go for a seek-and-destroy demonstration to refresh the legend.
Jab Hook would like to emphasize that the Ukrainian wonder team Lomachenko is the personification of ambition. They always plan for success and are consciously laying down Loma's legacy. Therefore, Jab expects a late round TKO win as the “ReMATRIX“ returns. Creating flurries of punches too fast for the camera that scramble Crolla. While forcing the referee to stop it, Vasiliy Lomachenko will make his fans go, “Ooh…Aah!“.
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Gilberto Ramirez 39(25)-0 vs. Tommy Karpency 29(18)-6(3)-1, boxing 10 rounds at light heavyweight.
Zurdo meets Karpency on Friday night.
“Zurdo” Ramirez was a youth middleweight, and has been a super middleweight for nearly 10 years. He took the WBO World title at super middleweight from Arthur Abraham 3 years ago and has defended it 5 times. Now the southpaw standout is going up in weight for his 1st time at light heavyweight.
“Kryptonite” Karpency is the opponent, and he has always fought in that weight division. A club fighter from the US east coast circuit, he has only fought outside the USA three times. Karpency, who is also a southpaw, is a decent boxer with a good punch. Early in his career he was Roy Jones Jr's sparring partner for the Joe Calzage bout in 2008. Talk about a boxing seminar for young Tommy!
Of his 6 losses, 5 have been to top ranked opponents: Murat, Cleverly, Fonfara, Stevenson, and Gvozdyk. The last time he faced a southpaw was in September 2015 when Adonis Stevenson stopped him in the 3rd round before the “Kryptonite” could weaken “Superman”.
Ramirez last boxed another southpaw nearly 8 years ago when he stopped Oney Valdez in the 2nd round. Jab thinks the stances will not be the main factor, rather the boxing accuracy and ability to keep his power at light heavyweight will make the difference in this matchup.
“Zurdo” is the better boxer, but “Kryptonite” is a tricky guy, a veteran opponent who will test Ramirez in this fight. Did you know that Karpency knocked Oleksandr Gvozdyk down in their July 2016 bout at the MGM Grand in Vegas? In round one young Gvozdyk was holding and punching the veteran, who shot a very short right hook that snapped the Ukrainian's chin to the east in an instant. Down and wobbly as he rose to Kenny Bayless's count, Tommy had rocked his world. That is what the man from the patch town of the coal mining community Adah, PA can do. Maybe again?
Jab Hook sees it pragmatically. Though Tommy K. is a tricky guy, he's been stopped before. Add to that “Zurdo” is turbo when he wants to be. Jab thinks that Ramirez sees this as a warm up bout, whereby he need not cut much weight. Fun for a big guy who has to work hard to make 168 lbs/ 76.2 kg. Seven is a very lucky number when it is the extra pounds that this champion and veteran boxer does NOT have to cut. Ask Ramirez about his Momma's Mexican kitchen? ESO!
“Zurdo” neutralizes the “Kryptonite” in a dominant performance. But the KO eludes Ramirez who's enchilada enchantment makes the later rounds heavy, literally.
Jab picks Ramirez over Karpency by unified decision.
Please come back for Jab Hook's Epilogue on the Staples Center, Los Angeles later this weekend on NYFights.com
“Jab Hook”, aka “Brooklyn” Joe Healy is a boxing writer, an expert commentator for DAZN.de, a professional cutman from the BOXWERK gym, and a licensed referee/judge in amateur boxing. A lifelong aficionado born in Brooklyn and living in Munich, “The Sweet Science” is his passion. Please feel free to contact him as Jab Hook on, FaceBook or https://www.linkedin.com/in/
