Via Vince Dwriter: Tonight is the night of lightweight rival Jamaine “The Technician” Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) as he prepares to part ways with Vasiliy Lomachenko, a former world champion in three weight classes. difference. The fight will take place tonight at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden.
(Credit: Mikey Williams (Top Rated via Getty Images)
Ortiz got the biggest win of his boxing career in May 2022 when he defeated former WBO lightweight champion Jamel Herring. Now, Ortiz is on the verge of taking it to the next level by upgrading his fighting abilities and turning from a good competitor to a boxer.
The vast majority of the boxing public believes that tonight’s showdown at the Hulu Theater will be a routine win for Vasiliy Lomachenko. During the promotion of the bout, Lomachenko hinted at pursuing a title fight with undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney.
Judging by his actions, Lomachenko saw Ortiz as a kind of opponent that was easy to get along with. Boxing fans and boxing pundits will most likely view this bout as Lomachenko, but the good news for Jamaine Ortiz is the fact that there is a blueprint involved in beating Lomachenko.
The Ukrainian lightweight boxer is one of the superstars of the sport of boxing, but in a total of 18 fights, Lomachenko suffered two defeats. One loss went to current 140-pound opponent Teofimo Lopez, but Lomachenko’s first professional loss was against Orlando Salido, who has a career boxing record (44-14-4, 31 KOs).
A common strategy that both Lopez and Salido have taken is the concept of banking in the early rounds against Vasiliy Lomachenko. Teofimo Lopez was able to put his header into position to land with his right hand, while Orlando Salido used pure aggression that put Lomachenko in an uncomfortable position.
The only way Jamaine Ortiz could upset Lomachenko was by controlling the first innings of the fight. Lomachenko is traditionally a slow starter, as he uses several hoops to load information and calculate the required range and distance.
It was imperative that Ortiz win the first rounds by hitting his header and using hand and foot speed for sharp combinations. If Ortiz can win the early rounds like he did against Herring, he will put Lomachenko in a position where he needs to fix a win again.
Jamaine Ortiz, 26, was overwhelmingly defeated, but he has a path to victory. Ortiz had to use his fitness to win the first rounds, and after Lomachenko warmed up, he had to find a way to steal a few rounds in the second half of the match.
The game plan for Ortiz is easier said than done, but Teofimo Lopez and Orlando Salido proved the fact that the task is difficult but not impossible.
