Lomachenko drops Crolla in mandatory defense

Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko (13-1,10 KO) was dominant in defending his WBA and WBO lightweight titles against mandatory challenger Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla (34-7-3,13 KOs). This bout was the main event to cap off a night of Top Rank Boxing at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The rowdy crowd was into from the opening bell behind Lomachenko chanting his entrance music of “Seven Nation Army” and loud chants of “Loma” early and often in this match.

While Crolla was coming into this fight a huge underdog, he was looking to shock the world and try to pull off one of the biggest upsets in British boxing history. That was until the bell rang and from there Lomachenko completely took over the fight. He spent the opening rounds dictating the pace of the fight and landing quick shots through the high guard defense of Crolla. What at first became a feel out round for both fighters, turned into self-defense for Crolla as he had only landed 5 shots on Lomachenko entering the third round.

While watching the broadcast, you can see why Loma is in everyone’s conversation as one of the best pound for pound fighters currently today. In fact, the fight looked like it was stopped at the end of the third round as Loma had Crolla up against the ropes able to land shots relentlessly at will. However as Crolla was about to go down he was saved by the ropes, technically making it a knockdown and not a stoppage. He got up before the ten count and the bell ended round three.

Lomachenko scores the knockdown and thinks it was ruled a TKO. What do you think? #LomaCrolla pic.twitter.com/GVwAlYSLgs

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 13, 2019

It wouldn’t take Lomachenko long however in round four to send everybody home as he landed shots early on Crolla and knocked him out with a vicious right hook that ended with a resounding thud heard loudly through the broadcast, signaling the end of the fight and night for Crolla.

WHAT A KNOCKOUT FROM LOMA!!! #LomaCrolla pic.twitter.com/xwJbxMmBDY

— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) April 13, 2019

With this win for Lomachenko, we’ll see who is next for him on the table. With this mandatory out of the way, he mentioned in the post-fight interview that he wants Mikey Garcia. Time will tell if that comes into fruition.

That devasting right that dropped Crolla, may have been broken in a tweet from ESPN’s Crystina Poncher. Lomachenko’s manager, Egis Klimas would later confirm to ESPN’s Steve Kim that the hand injury was not that serious.

“His knuckle, it’s just dislocated, no surgery needed,” Klimas said after an MRI was performed in a Los Angeles hospital. “They just put it back in place, three weeks in a cast and he’ll be good to go.”

Loma believes his right hand is broken. Told me it happened on the knockout punch #LomaCrolla

— Crystina Poncher (@CrystinaPoncher) April 13, 2019