Boxing star Lomachenko, 37, opts for retirement

Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his status from boxing astatine the property of 37.

The Ukrainian sensation leaves down a storied vocation arsenic arguably the top amateur boxer successful history, who became a three-division satellite champion erstwhile helium transitioned to the pro ranks.

"I'm grateful for each triumph and each decision some successful the ringing and successful life," Lomachenko said successful a video posted connected societal media. " I'm thankful that arsenic my vocation comes to an end, I've gained clarity astir the absorption a idiosyncratic indispensable instrumentality successful bid to execute existent victory, not conscionable successful the ring."

Lomachenko's determination comes conscionable implicit a twelvemonth aft his past fight, an 11th-round TKO of erstwhile undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. astatine RAC Arena successful Perth, Australia. There were preliminary talks of a blockbuster combat with Gervonta "Tank" Davis. The combat ne'er came to fruition as, according to Lomachenko's manager Egis Klimas, his combatant "didn't person the motivation" and took the remainder of 2024 disconnected to mull implicit his future. As it turns out, his aboriginal would beryllium walking distant from the sport.

As an amateur, Lomachenko amassed a stunning grounds of 396-1, portion winning golden medals astatine some the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympic Games for his autochthonal Ukraine. He decided to crook pro and signed with Top Rank Promotions, making his pro debut connected October 12, 2013, defeating Jose Ramirez by fourth-round knockout. Rather than beryllium brought on slowly, Lomachenko was thrust into a satellite rubric accidental successful his 2nd fight, against WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido. Lomachenko fell abbreviated successful his bid to go the archetypal combatant to triumph a satellite champion successful their 2nd pro combat erstwhile helium dropped a tough-luck decision. However, helium would marque bully connected his 2nd effort astatine a satellite rubric by defeating Gary Russell Jr. successful his 3rd pro combat to seizure the vacant WBO title connected June 21, 2014.

"Hi-Tech" made 3 palmy rubric defenses earlier jumping up to inferior lightweight and taking retired Roman Martinez for the WBO rubric successful 2016 and went connected a teardrop done the division, defending dominantly against Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa and Miguel Marriaga earlier gathering chap Olympic golden medalist and standout amateur, Cuba's Guillermo Rigondeaux successful a highly anticipated 2017 showdown. Lomachenko forced Rigondeaux to discontinue connected the stool betwixt rounds, the 4th consecutive hostile helium did that against, to clasp the title.

As a imperishable fixture atop the pound-for-pound rankings, Lomachenko moved up different value people and challenged Jorge Linares for the WBO lightweight rubric successful 2018 and won by knockout successful the tenth round. Lomachenko unified the titles astatine lightweight with wins implicit Jose Pedraza, Anthony Crolla and Luke Campbell but suffered his 2nd vocation loss erstwhile helium faced Teofimo Lopez successful 2020. Lomachenko would get backmost to his winning ways and triumph 3 consecutive fights earlier dropping a highly arguable decision to undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney successful 2023. He would lone combat erstwhile more, beating Kambosos and ending his illustrious vocation with a grounds of 18-3, 12 KOs.

"To my family, you person ever stood by me. You shared successful my victories and you felt the symptom of my losses. Those losses lone made america stronger," Lomachenko said. "I would beryllium remiss not to convey you, my beloved boxing fans from astir the world. You person ever supported maine with passionateness done my astir unforgettable fights."