The boxing world just lost one of its rarest and most brilliant minds. Vasyl Lomachenko, the Ukrainian maestro who made elite opponents look like amateurs, has officially retired. The announcement came via Facebook, quiet and humble — just like the man himself. But make no mistake: this is a huge blow to the sport. When a fighter like Lomachenko walks away, boxing doesn’t just lose a champion — it loses a standard.
“First of all, I would like to thank our God Jesus Christ for everything He has done for me, and led a small, vain boy on His path, which showed that recognition, history and legend are not the ultimate goal of existence. I am grateful for all the victories and defeats in the ring and in life.”
— Vasyl Lomachenko
At 36, with a legendary resume and an iron legacy, Loma steps away not because he faded, but because he chose to — with nothing left to prove.
He Wasn’t Just Good — He Was Different
In a sport flooded with hype and manufactured records, Lomachenko was the real deal from day one.
He tied the record for fastest to a world title (3rd fight).
He became a three-weight champion in just 12 fights.
He dominated multiple divisions, unified lightweight, and was consistently recognized as pound-for-pound one of the very best.
His style? Uncopyable.
His footwork? Alien.
His IQ? Scary.
He made former world champions quit on the stool. He made punchers freeze. He turned defense into offense and offense into humiliation. Watching Lomachenko wasn’t just watching boxing — it was watching the sport rewritten in real time.
And then, when the war in Ukraine broke out in 2022, he paused his career to join a territorial defense battalion. That’s not PR. That’s character.
Top Rank’s Farewell to Their Artist
Lomachenko’s longtime promoter, Top Rank, released the following statement:
“Following a remarkable professional career, the great Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement from boxing. Top Rank has been privileged to promote ‘Loma’ for the entirety of his historic journey, which included world titles in three weight classes and recognition as the sport’s preeminent pound-for-pound fighter.”
“Lomachenko tied a boxing record by winning a world title in his third professional bout and became a three-weight world champion in 12 fights, setting a new standard in the sport.”
“Before turning pro, he had an incomparable amateur record of 396-1, winning a pair of Olympic and World Championship gold medals for his native Ukraine. In 2022, he put his career on hold, returning to his homeland to join a territorial defense battalion after the Russian invasion.”
Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum said, “It’s been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko. He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.”
Lomachenko was one of the most special fighters this era will ever see.
He didn’t just win — he changed boxing.
He fought for legacy, for country, and for the love of the game — not paydays or gimmicks.
Now that he’s gone, the void is massive. Because there’s no one like him waiting in the wings.
We didn’t just watch a champion. We watched a phenomenon.
And the sport won’t feel the same without him.
‘He changed boxing’ they say… how? The sport is still the same after him leaving it as it was before he came in it. If anything, people are more into UFC now anyway.
@Tstevens you got a point there man! Boxing ain’t changed one bit cause of him, it’s still corrupt and boring sometimes even with ‘smart’ guys like him.
People always talking about his footwork and IQ like he’s the only smart boxer ever. There’s been others who fought smarter and didn’t get all this praise. He just had better promotion.
Exactly Kyle! It’s not all about dancing in the ring. Power and toughness matter too and I seen other fighters do more damage than Loma ever did.
@KyleParker thank you! They act like nobody had talent before him 🤦♀️ Boxing has history and legends already, Loma ain’t above them all.
Lomachenko quitting now just shows he didn’t want to risk losing again. Real champions keep going until they can’t anymore. This whole retirement thing seems like a way to avoid tougher fights.
I agree with you Mike. It’s like he’s running away from younger fighters who could beat him now. If he really loved boxing, he’d keep going no matter what.
I don’t get why everyone acting like Lomachenko was some kind of god. He was good, okay, but he lost fights too. If he was so unbeatable, how come he didn’t retire undefeated? People exaggerate.