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Vasyl Lomachenko wins WBO super-featherweight crown

Vasyl Lomachenko holds the championship belt after defeating Roman Martinez by knock out during the fifth round of their Junior Lig
Image: Vasyl Lomachenko celebrates making history after becoming a two-weight world champion in just his seventh fight

Vasyl Lomachenko stopped WBO super-featherweight champion Rocky Martinez to become a two-weight world champion on Saturday night in New York's Madison Square Garden.

The brutal fifth-round knockout saw Lomachenko make history by becoming the first boxer to win a second world title in a different weight class in just his seventh fight.

Lomachenko, who won the WBO featherweight title in his third fight, dominated the Puerto Rican with vicious left-handed leads and connected with four straight, including a precise uppercut in the fifth round.

Roman Martinez is knocked out as  Vasyl Lomachenko raises his arms in the neutral corner
Image: Roman Martinez is knocked out as Lomachenko raises his arms in the neutral corner

The Ukrainian double Olympic champion followed up with a stunning right to leave Martinez motionless on the canvas for several moments.

"I came to do my job, I did my job very well tonight," said Lomachenko before dedicating the win to "the greatest man who ever laced up gloves, Muhammad Ali."

Lomachenko, a three-time world amateur champion, celebrated victory with a backflip in the centre of the ring afterwards and promoter Bob Arum tipped the 2008 and 2012 gold medallist as star of the future.

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 11: Roman Martinez watches as Vasyl Lomachenko does a backflip
Image: Martinez remains on the canvas as Lomachenko celebrates with a backflip

"I think anybody who follows boxing would see this performance and realize they have seen the birth of a superstar," said Arum.

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Martinez, who was making the second defence of his title, admitted he was caught out by the speed of the 28-year-old.

"I couldn't see his hands," admitted the 33-year-old Martinez.

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