Boxing: Vasyl Lomachenko on title course

Timothy Bradley raises his WBO belt after beating Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas (Reuters)

Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian featherweight regarded as one of the finest amateur boxers in history, eased to a fourth-round knock-out victory over Mexican Jose Ramirez on his professional debut.

The 25-year-old, who  lost only once in nearly 400 amateur contests and won his second Olympic gold medal in London last year, will now go on to box for a world title in only his second pro fight. “It was a good effort,” Lomachenko said after his win. “But I know that I can do better.”

On the same bill in Las Vegas, Orlando Cruz lost in his bid to become the sport’s first openly gay world champion. The Puerto Rican was stopped in the seventh round by Mexican Orlando Salido, who claimed the vacant WBO featherweight title.

In the main event, American Timothy Bradley extended his unbeaten record to 31 bouts with a split-decision win over Mexico’s Juan Manuel Marquez to retain his WBO welterweight title.