Lomachenko risks failing to seal his legacy unless he finds a serious rival, warns Ricky Hatton

VASILIY LOMACHENKO needs a serious rival or a life-and-death fight to cement his legacy as one of history's greatest boxers.

British two-weight legend Ricky Hatton was, like all hardcore boxing fans, bamboozled by the elite technical skills Loma, 31, used to beat Hull hero Luke Campbell on Saturday.

Loma enjoyed an unparalleled amateur career and is already a three-weight king, following wins over excellent boxers like Gary Russell Jr, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Jorge Linares and 2012 Olympic champ Campbell.

But Hatton, whose crowning night was an 11-round underdog win over ring legend Kostya Tszyu in 2005, worries he might be too good to convince casual sports fans.

Hatton told SunSport: "When you win 396 out of 397 amateur fights, the only loss coming in a controversial decision that you then avenge twice - and then win a world title in your third pro fight - you have to go down as one of the greatest in history among boxing fans.

"But, to be a huge cross-over global star, Lomachenko probably does need a very tough fight or a real rival, because right now he is making it look easy.

"A boxing fan can just sit there in awe of his technical skill and say 'wow'. But his style isn't really fan-friendly for the mainstream and that could count against him in terms of making him a superstar.”

To be a huge cross-over global star, Lomachenko probably does need a real rival, because right now he is making it look easy

Ricky Hatton

Loma wants to become the undisputed lightweight king by adding the final missing IBF belt early next year. Then he will drop down to more natural weights of feather and super-feather to hunt for more gold.

In the lower weights he might meet his match in Floyd Mayweather protege Gervonta Davis or terrifying three-weight champ and Japanese power puncher Naoya Inoue.

And then Hatton hopes he can produce a career-defining fight to rank alongside the Rumble in the Jungle or the Thrilla in Manilla. Or form a rivalry like the glory days Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvin Hagler enjoyed.

He said: "Casual fans down the ages will probably still lean more toward a fighter like Arturo Gatti, for his incredible fights, especially the trilogy with Micky Ward.

"And that is where Lomachenko might need one or two rivals to push him close and give him that legacy fight. Because, right now, he just looks too good for everybody."

Campbell was heartbroken to lose his second world title fight, on a points decision, to another three-weight champion.

The same thing happened when he faced Jorge Linares in 2017 but Hatton believes the tall southpaw will make it third time lucky.

He said: "We have been blown away by Lomachenko but Luke did himself so proud. He was knocked down by a body shot but got up - and that is the hardest shot to recover from - so he can hold his head up proud.

"He's not had much luck facing another three-weight world champion, after Jorge Linares, he has genuinely boxed the best in the division.

"With so many weights and belts, you can usually find a weak champion somewhere but Luke has really done it the hardest way."