Poor Lomachenko...
Loma took time out to fight for Ukraine after already having a late start to his pro career. Then he came back and cleaned some clocks to get another title shot. On Saturday he got that shot...
He gives away height and reach to almost every opponent, and did so again on Saturday night. Only, this time his opponent's engine was a decade and about 250 fights fresher(Loma winning seven gold medals and only losing only 1 of his 397 amateur fights to Haney's 138/8 record).
Long story short, Lomachenko schooled this kid for 12 rounds. Not only did he control the focus rounds, but within rounds Loma decided how the action would play out.
To paraphrase commentators during the 11th round - Loma is locked in and all his traps are set, nothing is working for Haney.
I can't find a single pro fighter that was at the fight who thinks that Haney won. The rest of the internet is also pretty unanimous that it was a good fight but that Loma schooled Haney, was in charge, landed more shots and looked stronger at the end.
The judges gave this fight to Haney at 116-112, 115-113, 115-113.
One judge gives Loma only 4 rounds with the other two judges giving him 5 a piece.
It really is time to get judges out of boxing. It's what is wrong with boxing. You can't call it a sweet science and then accept that legacy-destroying mistakes like this occur.
There'll be plenty of analysis of this fight and I'll post some of it here.
I'm glad I got to see Loma box again, that's what really matters anyway.