Lomachenko vs. Rigondeaux picks: Experts going with youth

Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux will meet in a match that some are calling the best technical boxing match of the year, or perhaps even all time. Both are multi-time Olympic gold medalists and have some of the greatest achievements in amateur boxing between them.

Now they’re set to meet as professionals at The Theater at Madison Square Garden live on ESPN.

Lomachenko, 29, won gold medals in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics, and he owns two gold medals in the World Championships, as well as one in the 2008 Liverpool European championships. He is 9-1 as a professional, with his last fight being a win over Miguel Marriaga.

He hasn’t lost since a split decision against Orlando Salido in March 2014.

Rigondeaux, 37, is getting up there in years and is definitely out of his prime. But his bonafides include gold medals at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics, as well as gold medals at the 2001 Belfast and 2005 Mianyang World Championships. This is a bout that has been a long time coming, and fans are just excited to get to see it before it’s too late.

As far as the odds go, Lomachenko has been a heavy favorite throughout the process. He’s younger and is more offensively minded, while it’s easy for people to sleep on Rigondeaux, a defensive-minded fighter.

And as far as experts go, most seem to be split by the matchup.

Brian Campbell of CBS Sports had this to say for his prediction (click through for a whole lot of excellent analysis, as well):

In fact, Rigondeaux might be the only fighter in the world capable of pulling this off thanks to his speed, smarts and willingness to reduce the bout to its simplest possible form of hit and not be hit. Provided the judges appreciate what they are seeing, great defense can still beat great offense when its executed by someone on Rigondeaux’s level. Love it or hate him, it’s a place very few have ever been.

Pick: Rigondeaux by majority decision.

Over at Forbes, it published several picks from current and former boxers, and the picks seem to be split, with a healthy amount going for Lomachenko and others going with Rigondeaux.

The experts picking for The Ring Magazine and RingTV.com — including site staff and boxing insiders — are overwhelming in their favor for Lomechenko on Saturday. Of the 19 picks published, a whopping 17 of them think Lomachenko will win the fight, most by unanimous decision.

At SB Nation’s Bloody Elbow, you can add yet another person picking Lomachenko to win:

You can expect a display of the absolute highest level of technique possible. Period. Both men have that superhuman ability to know where their opponent will be, how they can land, and how they can avoid the return. Seeing them square off will be a joy. Despite their similar pedigrees, they approach their technique differently, as Lomachenko goes for the kill, while Rigondeaux bases his game around supreme defense. Rigo does have power, but it doesn’t match Loma’s, who is also the bigger man (Rigo is moving up in weight here). This is a fight where I anticipate rounds being razor close, decided by just the slimmest of margins with few clean shots to count. I see that power edge being the difference maker, with Lomachenko managing to hurt Rigondeaux more than the Cuban hurts him. But this is a tough, tough fight to pick.

Prediction: Vasyl Lomachenko, UD

For an updated look at the odds for the fight, check with OddsShark.