Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from professional boxing at age 37, ending a remarkable career that saw him become a three-weight world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist.
"I'm grateful for every victory and defeat inside the ring and outside the ring," Lomachenko stated in his retirement video posted on Instagram. "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 true victory, not just in the ring."
The Ukrainian boxing maestro steps away with an impressive professional record of 18-3, with his final bout coming in May 2024 when he stopped Australia's George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round. Throughout his professional journey, only Orlando Salido, Teofimo Lopez, and Devin Haney managed to defeat him.
Lomachenko's rise through boxing ranks was nothing short of extraordinary. After compiling an almost perfect amateur record of 396-1, he turned pro and captured the WBO featherweight world title in just his third fight by defeating Gary Russell Jr. in 2014. He later added the WBO junior lightweight title in 2016 and the WBA lightweight belt in 2018 after stopping Jorge Linares.
Interestingly, his exceptional footwork – which became his trademark in the ring – was partially attributed to his early training. At age nine, his father and coach Anatoly (whose face Lomachenko has tattooed across his torso) had young Vasiliy swap boxing boots for dancing shoes. For four years, he studied traditional Ukrainian dancing, developing the balance and agility that would later baffle opponents.
Perhaps most remarkable was his run between 2016-2017, when four consecutive opponents – Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga, and Guillermo Rigondeaux – all quit rather than continue facing his bewildering offensive arsenal. In a sport where quitting often carries more stigma than doping, this streak highlighted Lomachenko's dominance.
His unorthodox training methods, developed with his father, included holding his breath underwater (his record stands at four minutes and 20 seconds) and solving complex mental arithmetic during workouts – approaches designed to sharpen both mind and body.
Nicknamed "The Matrix" and "Hi-Tech" for his ability to hit opponents from seemingly impossible angles while remaining nearly untouchable himself, Lomachenko leaves boxing as one of its most technically brilliant practitioners. Will anyone soon replicate his unique blend of technical mastery, footwork, and ring intelligence? Doubtful.
