The boxing and MMA worlds have been colliding in more ways than one recently, and yesterday saw top pound-for-pound fighters in both sports share the ring together. Vasyl Lomachenko ran into former UFC bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw at his open workout in California, and the two spent a few rounds in the ring.
ESPN’s Bret Okamoto was present for the sparring session and share a quick video of the action.
Snapshot of @TJDillashaw and @VasylLomachenko sparring session. They just finished four, 4-minute rounds. Fun. pic.twitter.com/NFwsidApBV
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) March 23, 2017
“He put it on me. He’s animal,” Dillashaw told ESNews after sparring wrapped up. “He’s a cardio machine. He doesn’t give you a break. So much respect. Just to share the ring with the guy was amazing. I would never pass up the opportunity. I wish I was in a little bit better shape, but it was amazing.”
Dillashaw was blown away by Lomachenko’s movement and angles in their sparring session. Dillashaw climbed the ranks of the UFC pound-for-pound list with his own unique movements and creative striking angles, but in the ring Lomachenko is in a class of his own.
“Turning you into punches, that’s his thing,” he said. “He gets those angles where you can’t find him. You’re looking, and as soon as you find him, he’s hitting you. It was amazing. I’m a guy who wants to use angles and use footwork, so I can learn a lot from him. I really hope I get to continue to work with him.”
Lomachenko is in training camp ahead of his April junior lightweight (130 lb) title defense with Jason Sosa. Dillashaw, who just wrapped up filming of The Ultimate Fighter as one of the lead coaches, will attempt to regain his UFC bantamweight (135 lb) title when he takes on champion Cody Garbrandt in the summer.