Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
On Saturday March 1, 2014, veteran former Featherweight Champion, Orlando Salido defeated Olympic phenom Vasyl Lomachenko via split-decision.
Controversy arose after Salido was not able to make weight and hold onto his belt.
While the weight controversy seemed to settle right before the fight, a new conflict quickly arose as the fight itself was riddled with low-blows, horrible officiating, and holding every second.
Nonetheless, Salido was declared the winner and Lomachenko, the loser. Read on for what the future hold’s for the winner and loser.
The Loser
Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Vasyl Lomachenko came out of the amateurs like a canon. Wanting and getting the opportunity to fight for a world title in just two fights.
Fortunately for him, after coming up short on making history, he still has viable options for contending again for a title or fighting big name fighters in the Featherweight division.
Lomachenko can take an interim fight against a low level contender like Lee Selby, Billy Dib or Rico Ramos. After gaining some much needed experience as a professional, he can challenge for another title, namely the winner of Nonito Doniare and Simpiwe Vetyea which takes place in the upcoming months.
Another possible championship match could be an all Eastern-European affair with Lomachenko taking on current IBF Featherweight Champion, Evgeny Gradovich.
There has already been talks of that fight taking place in Moscow or Berlin. It is something Bob Arum and all of Top Rank is very, very interested in.
What Lomachenko needs to do is stay far away from current Super Bantamweight king, Guillermo Rigondeaux.
The Winner
Photo by Chris Farina/Top Rank
Orlando Salido waved goodbye to the Featherweight division on Saturday night after defeating Vasyl Lomachenko. After not making weight for the bout and being stripped of his WBO title, he has said he will now campaign at the Jr. Lightweight limit.
A contender already, Salido is available for many fights that can definitely line his pockets with money.
He could go to the Top Rank base of Macau and take on the likes of Japanese fighters Takashi Uchiyama or Takashi Miura.
Or he can stay in the U.S. and fight Diego Magdaleno for Mikey Garcia’s WBO title, as it’s being rumored that Garcia will likely vacate the title and move up in weight to fight Yuriorkis Gamboa.
Both fighters have a lot of options to stay in the public’s eye.
