Vasiliy Lomachenko looks set to return and target the undisputed super-featherweight title, but one unified world champion has told the veteran to take a warm-up first, so that he has no excuses if he comes out second best.
‘Loma’ became a three-division world champion but was always vocal in his ambition to become an undisputed world champion and had that dream crushed when he lost a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023.
Lomacheko captured the IBF lightweight title the following year with a stoppage victory over George Kambosos, but announced his retirement in 2025 before recently U-turning on that decision and announcing his comeback.
Since then, it has become obvious that he is targeting all four of the world titles at 130lbs, three of which are suddenly in the hands of Texas’ O’Shaquie Foster – who defeated Emanuel Navarrete on Saturday – and the other being held by Belfast’s Anthony Cacace.
Now, it remains to be seen which champion Lomachenko will target first, but Foster told Fight Hub TV that he would want the 38-year-old to have an alternate outing before they potentially meet.
“I want Loma to get a tune-up fight or something because, when I beat him I want no excuses, man. He has been retired.
“He can think whatever he wants, but I need him to get a tune-up fight because I don’t want no excuses when I beat him. I don’t want none.”
Lomachenko’s planned November return appears to have been pushed back to February, where he could collide with the victor of Cacace’s WBA title clash with Nick Ball, which takes place on Saturday, December 19.
However, it is understood that Filipino contender Charly Suarez is the man in line to be Lomachenko’s opponent, due to his position as the WBO mandatory challenger.
Therefore, fans could instead see Foster and either Cacace or Ball go toe-to-toe in an undisputed title showdown, with Lomachenko potentially positioned for a shot at the winner.
