By Chris Williams: Vasyl Lomachenko weighed in at 137.4 pounds for today’s fight-day secondary weigh-in for his fight tonight against Guillermo Rigondeaux. In contrast, Rigondeaux (17-0, 11 KOs) weighed in 7 pounds lighter at 130 lbs.
Both fighters had to be under the 138 lb. limit for today’s same day weigh-in, which they both did. The 29-year-old Lomachenko barely made the limit, but he did none the less. Lomachenko and Rigondeaux both have all day to rehydrate. Given that Rigondeaux only gained back 1.75 lbs. from the 128 ¼ lbs. he weighed in at for Friday’s weigh-in, it’s likely that he won’t rehydrate any further than he is now.
Rigondeaux usually comes into his fights at super bantamweight weighing 126 lbs. after making the 122 lb. limit. Lomachenko is the one that will clearly gain more weight by the time he is fully rehydrated tonight.
My guess is Lomachenko could gain another 7 to 10 pounds of water eight by the time he steps inside the ring tonight. That means we’re probably looking at Lomachenko weighing 145 tonight compared to Rigondeaux’s 130. That’ll give Lomachenko a 15 pound weight advantage over Lomachenko. That’s my conservative estimate. If Lomachenko gains back another 10 to 12 pounds, he could have close to a 20 lb. weight advantage over Rigondeaux by tonight. Lomachenko could come into tonight’s fight weighing 148 to 150 compared to Rigondeaux’s 130 lbs.
If Rigondeaux is giving away 15 to 20 lbs. of weight tonight against Lomachenko, it’s going to be next to impossible for him to beat the Ukrainian. That’s just WAY too much weight for Rigondeaux to be giving away. You have to remember these are small guys. So, a 15 to 20 lb. weight advantage for Lomoachenko is going to be like a heavyweight having a 50 pound weight advantage over his opponent. It would be like heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, who weighs 250 lbs. nowadays, fighting a small 200 lb. cruiserweight. Joshua would use his weight advantage to destroy an opponent that is 50 lbs. lighter than him.
I’d be surprised if ESPN posts the rehydrated weights for Lomachenko and Rigondeaux tonight before the two of them step inside the ring. I don’t see that happening. HBO likes to post the rehydrated weights for the fighters that compete on their network. Some of the fighters like Saul Canelo Alvarez and Danny Jacobs don’t choose to let HBO post their rehydrated weights. I don’t see ESPN revealing what the rehydrated weights are for Lomachenko and Rigondeaux tonight. Why won’t ESPN do this? That’s a good question. I guess some boxing fans might be alarmed to see Lomachenko weighing 150 fighting a 130 pound Rigondeaux. Even the casual boxing fans would see a stat like that and shake their heads, seeing the fight as too tilted in Lomachenko’s favor.
Rigondeaux has the better boxing skills, but to give away 15 to 20 lbs. of weight to Lomachenko, it’s not even a fair fight. To make it fair, Lomachenko would have had to meet Rigondeaux halfway at a catch-weight of 126. Rigondeaux says Lomachenko wouldn’t do that. Rigondeaux had to move up all the way to 130 to fight Lomachenko in his weight class.