A look back at five memorable Jorge Linares matches
Jorge Linares tasted the canvas twice via two monstrous left hooks from Zaur Abullaev before the competition was taken to a merciful 12th-round TKO last weekend in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The match marked Linare’s second straight loss and third defeat in his last five matches, prompting some fans to urge the 36-year-old Venezuelan fighter to retire.
While the appeal to put down the gloves continues, DAZN News wanted to take a moment to return to some of the great matches that Linares gave us in his best years … and even beyond that. Here are five of those who are revisited.
Stops Oscar Larios in the 10thth round; July 21, 2007
After competing in Japan, Venezuela and Panama before this time, Linares made a fantastic American debut all the more memorable by using his shock to set up a series of power shots that yielded a 10thTKO by Larios to be crowned WBC world champion in featherweight. That he did it against a former world champion in Larios and that the performance came on Bernard Hopkins-Ronald “Winky” Wright undercard in Las Vegas made Linares’ coming out party official.
The evidence point in the Anthony Crolla rematch; March 25, 2017
Linares had edged Crolla by unanimous decision in September before winning the WBA and vacant The Ring lightweight titles. But the points victory (117-111, 115-114, 115-113) was a little too close for consolation for Linares, who immediately invited the British to revenge. Well, Linares left no room for doubt in the rematch, launching a picture-perfect, sweeping left uppercut to release Crolla in the seventh round against a dominant unanimous decision by larger margins (118-109 on all three referees scorecards) to retain their world title.
Edges Luke Campbell in split decision; September 23, 2017
A sharp left-right combination against the head released Campbell in the second round and although Linares inexplicably took his foot off the gas in the middle of the fight, he regained control during the championship rounds to make the split decision and retain the world title at lightweight. The victory marked a stable year for “El Nino de Oro.”
Threatens to knock out Vasiliy Lomachenko; 12 May 2018
A defeat can also be memorable, especially if fireworks are produced. Linares did just that in Madison Square Garden against the best pound-for-pound imaginable. Lomachenko surgically broke down champion Linares by changing levels and landing sharp shots with precision, but all this changed in a heartbeat during the sixth round when Linares detonated a straight right hand that landed evenly against Loma’s head and put the Ukrainian on the back.
The impact made a dramatic turnaround in the match and although Lomachenko would recover to end the clash four rounds later with a liver shot, it made a memorable fight in New York City. Lomachenko became the fastest in boxing history at the time of becoming a three-division champion, but Linares more than deserved his respect.
Making things interesting against Devin Haney; 29 May 2021
A 35-year-old playful Linares entered the ring against a 22-year-old Haney, who was looking to make his third straight WBC title defense in the lightweight world. And in nine rounds, Haney used his speed and lots of pop to his strokes to be comfortable on the cruise control. But during the waning seconds of the 10th round, Linares showed why he is a three-division world champion – and one with a little sting left to his stroke as well.
That was when Linares used a short right hand to rock Haney’s jaw before bringing the champion, who was on jelly, back to his corner with some showmanship. The electric moment immediately injected the fight with some excitement as the young champion still had wobbly legs in the 11th and almost lost in that round, surviving that frame and the 12th. Haney made the unanimous decision courtesy of his previous work, but Linares did a solid show for himself late and once again reinforced the idea of never figuring out a proven warrior.
If this is the end, Linares has given boxing fans lots of memorable matches with a record of 47-7 including 29 knockouts. You can watch some of Linare’s fights on DAZN.