Vasyl Lomachenko dominates Nicholas Walters with 7th Round TKO

Two-time Ukrainian Olympic gold medalist and two-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs) put on a masterful performance Saturday night at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, successfully defending his WBO junior lightweight title by stopping undefeated former WBA featherweight champion and yardie Nicholas Walters (26-1-1, 21 KOs), of Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Walters told referee Tony Weeks he did not want to continue after the seventh round. He did not cite any specific injury, but did admit in a post-fight interview that he had been hurt in Round Seven.

"I had my plan.  I knew it would take four rounds and then I went to work on him," said Lomachenko.  "Walters said he would do this and that he would do that throughout training camp, and in the end, he just quit.  I would like to fight [WBC super featherweight champion] Francisco Vargas next.  My goal is to be the No. 1 pound for pound fighter."  

Lomachenko made a feared and very talented puncher look like an amateur, as the former gold medalist's work rate, superior footwork, and hand speed proved to be too much for Walters.  Lomachenko was in command in every round and had the powerful Walters reluctant to unleash his power shots.

Walters had some ring rust as well, having not fought for approximately one year.  Still, even a sharper Walters on his best night would have had few answers for the constantly-moving Lomachenko.

If he isn't at the top already, Lomachenko certainly put himself in the conversation for the sport's pound-for-pound best fighter.  As such, it would not be a stretch to see him move up in weight and eventually face fellow Top Rank stablemates Manny Pacquiao or Terence Crawford.

Lomachenko, who won the WBO featherweight title and the WBO junior lightweight title in his third and seventh bout, respectively, both records for fewest fights for winning a first world championship and world titles in two different divisions, has become an internet sensation with the You Tube video “Lomachenko is in The Matrix” which has generated more than 630,000 views.

The fight was televised live on HBO.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services