VASYL Lomachenko has today announced his retirement, putting an end to his reign as the IBF world lightweight champion and, more importantly, his illustrious career.
The masterful technician became arguably the greatest amateur fighter of all time after amassing a staggering 396 victories, avenging his one blemish on two occasions.
As a double Olympic champion, too, the Ukrainian had already cultivated a remarkable legacy before entering his professional debut back in 2013.
From there, Lomachenko challenged for world honours in only his second outing, losing a razor-thin split decision to an overweight Orlando Salido.
Nevertheless, he then claimed that same WBO strap at featherweight after outpointing Gary Russell Jr, a seasoned pro at the time, in 2014.
Further victories arrived before Lomachenko moved up to 130lbs – becoming a two-division world champion – where he produced glittering performances against the likes of Nicholas Walters and Guillermo Rigondeaux.
His lightweight surge was then ignited with a thrilling encounter against Jorge Linares, before ‘The Matrix’ dethroned Jose Pedraza and then later defended his crown against British combatants Anthony Crolla and Luke Campbell.
In more recent years, however, defeats to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney – both fights delivering high-octane spectacles – saw Lomachenko’s air of invincibility gradually fade away.
His last outing, meanwhile, arrived in May of 2024, with a punishing 11th-round stoppage victory over George Kambosos Jr capping off his decorated career.
All the while, Lomachenko operated alongside his father and trainer, Anatoly Lomachenko, a man he largely credited for his success while announcing his retirement via social media.
In an Instagram post, he said: “I’m thankful that, as my career comes to an end, I’ve gained clarity about the direction a person must take in order to achieve victory.
“My father not only taught me the art of boxing but how to be a role model for my own children – the same way he has always been for me.
“I’ve made many mistakes in life, and in the gym, but he has always been by my side.”
