Lomachenko can clinch historic feat in Martinez meeting at Madison Square Garden

Lomachenko has boxing history in sights

In June 2014, with his emphatic points success over Russell Jr, Lomachenko drew level with a 39-year-old record as he became the joint-fastest fighter to become world champion in only his third bout, equalling Thailand’s Saensak Muangsurin’s long-standing feat when he won the light-welterweight belt in 1975.

Next up in June, the Ukraine star will look to make history, with success against Martinez set to see him win a world title in a second weight class in only his seventh pro fight, which would break the record set by Japan’s Naoya Inoue, who clinched the light-flyweight strap in his sixth bout in April 2014 then the light-bantamweight belt eight months later.

In 33-year-old Martinez, Lomachenko faces a three-time champion making the second defence of his current WBO super-featherweight crown, and ‘Rocky’ will take to the ring this summer at 13/2 to spring a surprise and end his opponent’s attempts of claiming a historic win.

Lomachenko has suffered the same fate as many other top fighters in recent years when being heavily avoided in his division, and his frustration forced him to move up to super-featherweight to face former 126-pounds champion Nicholas Walters in a non-title bout. Though the match-up fell through because of his supposed opponent’s financial demands, despite the Ukrainian offering $300k of his own purse if unsuccessful.

“I will fight only the best…”

The talented southpaw is no stranger to fighting on the biggest stages in the sport, having downed Puerto Rican Rodriguez on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s comfortable success over Manny Pacquiao last year, and he is seeking only the best to face-off with.

“I am at a level only to fight the best fighters in the world,” declared Lomachenko. “No one really wanted to fight me at 126, so we made a decision to go to 130 and fight Rocky Martinez.

“A lot of fighters say they want to fight the best in the world. The difference is that I mean it. I will fight only the best.”

Lomachenko’s latest outing will be the headline act at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York in June and, despite not initially knowing he was on the cusp of history, the Ukrainian slickster is now aiming to land a new milestone in his short but sweet career.

“It is a big opportunity for me,” Lomachenko added. “It is a chance to set a new record by becoming a two-division world champion in the shortest period, my seventh professional fight, a record that currently stands at eight fights.

“On June 11, at Madison Square Garden, I’m going to do my best to reach a new career pinnacle.”

With Lomachenko desiring only the best fighters to do battle with, it makes his promoter Arum’s job in delivering those opponents a tough one, but a historic triumph in New York this June would see the highly-driven Ukrainian star’s reputation grow further as he looks to become one of the sport’s greats.

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