This weekend is crucial for Vasyl Lomachenko. He undertakes a fight that could push him through the controversial loss he experienced at the hands of Devin Haney almost exactly a year ago. He fights against an opponent of the polar opposite style, George Kambosos Jr., which makes the anticipation even stronger. Hence, his entry for the big event is estimated to be equally big.
The Loma fans will need to wait a little while longer to witness his stumping entry into the ring at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. However, till then here are the few songs he has used to punctuate his entry into the ring for his previous fights.
‘The Matrix’ Personified
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‘Loma’ heavily lives up to his moniker, ‘The Matrix.’ He lives up to the fame not just in the ring but also for the moments before he takes to the ring. The Ukrainian, a record holder of 17-3 has traditionally entered the ring to the fan-popular track of the 1995 new age pop song, “Clubbed to Death,” ever since his arrival into pro boxing. His last fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas against Devin Haney too saw him walk out to the track and completely set the premise for the exciting fight that later unfolded.
Australian music producer Rob Dougan’s instrumental composition, originally released on Mo’ Wax records in 1995, gained initial recognition after being featured in the 1997 film “Clubbed to Death.” However, it wasn’t until its inclusion in the sci-fi blockbuster “The Matrix” in 1999 that the track achieved widespread popularity.
However, in 2018, something nudged him to slightly deviate from tradition before coming back to the Matrix track. So what was the music that inspired him to make the change?
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When Lomachenko deviated from his path
In May of 2018, the now 36-year-old fighter did not seek the assistance of his usual ‘Clubbed to Death’ number for the entry song. He went a little fancy and sought the company of New York’s own LL Cool J for the ceremonial ring walk at the Madison Square Garden in New York. The American rapper did set a befitting premise for the fight in which Loma won the WBA and Ring Lightweight title against Jorge Linares through a tenth-round technical knockout.
He opted for the iconic 1987 hip-hop hit, “I’m Bad” for his ringwalk. It is the first single from the rapper’s second album, ‘Bigger and Deffer’. The song that made it onto several Billboard Charts is considered a classic of the Def Jam era.
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The track incorporates a rich tapestry of samples, including the “Theme from S.W.A.T.” by Rhythm Heritage, “Rock the Bells,” the iconic Q2B siren from the Federal Signal Corporation, and a playful interpolation of the theme from the 1960s cartoon “Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse.” Additionally, it weaves in a snippet of “Daisy Lady” by 7th Wonder, bringing the total number of samples to at least ten.
Do you think Vasyl Lomachenko will employ his usual ‘Clubbed to Death’ song or will he venture into unchartered territory this time for George Kambosos Jr.? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.