Junior lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko (11-1, 9 KOs) walked into the ring against Jorge Linares (44-4, 27 KOs), the No.1 lightweight in the world, at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night looking to make boxing history.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Lomachenko, who was knocked down in the sixth round, emerged victorious after a vicious body shot to the liver secured his 10th-round technical knockout of Linares to capture the lightweight world championship.
Vasiliy Lomachenko defeats Jorge Linares by knockout in the 10th round | ESPN
Vasiliy Lomachenko snaps Jorge Linares 13-fight win streak in a 10th round TKO with a liver shot.
In doing so, Lomachenko obliterated the all-time boxing record for fewest fights needed to win a world title in three weight divisions, accomplishing it in just his 12th fight.
The 2008 and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist from Ukraine easily beatGary Russell Jr. in just his third pro bout to win the featherweight world title, then moved up to junior lightweight and destroyed Roman “Rocky” Martinez with a fifth-round KO.
