Background and career
Vasiliy Anatolyevich Lomachenko (also spelled Vasyl Anatoliyovych Lomachenko; Ukrainian: Василь Анатолійович Ломаченко, IPA: [wɐˈsɪlʲ lomɐˈtʃɛnko]; born 17 February 1988) is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed between 2013 and 2024. He has held multiple world championships in three weight classes, including the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title from 2014 to 2016, the WBO super featherweight title from 2016 to 2018, the unified World Boxing Association (WBA) (Super version), World Boxing Council (WBC), WBO, and Ring magazine lightweight titles from 2018 to 2020, and the International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight title from 2024 to 2025. Lomachenko is one of the most successful amateur boxers of all time and often considered to be the greatest, possessing a record of 396 wins and 1 loss, with that loss avenged twice. Competing in the featherweight and lightweight divisions, he won a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships, gold at the 2008 European Championships, consecutive gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, and consecutive gold at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships. Making his professional debut in 2013, Lomachenko tied the record with Thailand's Saensak Muangsurin for winning a world title in the fewest professional fights, becoming the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight champion in his third fight. He is known for his exceptional hand speed, timing, accuracy, creativity, athleticism, defence and footwork. He has won several awards by media outlets throughout his career. The Ring and ESPN named him Prospect of the Year in 2013; CBS Sports named him Boxer of the Year in 2016; HBO Sports named him Boxer of the Year in 2016 and in 2017; and the Boxing Writers Association of America and The Ring named him Fighter of the Year in 2017. On June 5, 2025, Lomachenko announced his retirement from professional boxing at the age of 37.
Lomachenko was coached by his father Anatoly Lomachenko from a young age. He claims that if his father had not been a boxing coach he probably would have chosen to play ice hockey professionally. According to Bob Arum in 2017, Lomachenko's father did not let him train for boxing until he attended traditional Ukrainian dance classes. He then went on to gymnastics before finally getting into the ring.
At the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, he won silver by beating Abner Cotto in the first round, Theodoros Papazov, Mikhail Bernadski, Arturo Santos Reyes, and Li Yang in the semifinal to reach fellow southpaw and Russian favorite Albert Selimov, to whom he lost 11–16. This was the only loss in Lomachenko's amateur career. Lomachenko won gold at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He beat his five opponents by an astonishing 45 point margin, outscoring them 58–13, en route to his first gold medal at the senior level. He was subsequently named the outstanding boxer of the tournament and awarded the Val Barker Trophy. Additionally, he won gold again that year to also become continental champion at the European Championships in Liverpool. He won gold at the 2009 World Championships in Milan. He then competed as a lightweight at the 2011 World Championships in Baku after AIBA removed the featherweight division. There, he won his second consecutive gold medal to become a two-weight world champion. Following a forced move up to lightweight, he won his second consecutive Olympic gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London to become a rare two-weight Olympic champion. He defeated Han Soon-Chul of South Korea in the final, 19–9, and was a strong candidate to win the Val Barker Trophy for a second time in what would have historically been an unprecedented feat. Ultimately, he was edged out by welterweight gold medal winner, Serik Sapiyev, of Kazakhstan. He finished his extensive amateur career with an impressive record of 396 wins and only 1 loss, to Albert Selimov, which was avenged twice. In November 2017, boxing website The Sweet Science conducted a readers' poll, which ran for several weeks, to determine the amateur boxer regarded by the public majority as the all-time best. Alongside Lomachenko, the five other standout finalists selected were: László Papp, Teófilo Stevenson, Félix Savón, Mark Breland, and Guillermo Rigondeaux. While none were able to claim the majority vote, Lomachenko won a plurality, having led the poll with nearly one-third of the total votes cast.
Prior to turning professional, Lomachenko competed in the lightweight division of the World Series of Boxing (WSB) from January to May 2013. Some outlets would later claim that the six fights Lomachenko had in this tournament should have counted towards his professional record, due to WSB being professional boxing by law, with no headgear and rounds being scored using the ten-point must system according to the regulations set by professional boxing commissions that license the boxers, promoters, and officials.
After winning his second Olympic gold medal, Lomachenko made the decision to turn professional. After meeting with several fight promoters, he signed a contract to fight for Top Rank. Lomachenko made his professional debut in United States on 12 October 2013 as part of the undercard to Timothy Bradley vs. Juan Manuel Márquez, defeating Mexican fighter José Ramirez with a fourth-round knockout.
Lomachenko attempted to make history by winning a world championship in his second fight and breaking Saensak Muangsurin's record, who won a junior welterweight world title in his third pro fight in 1975. He challenged veteran boxer Orlando Salido for World Boxing Organization's featherweight title. The title became vacant after Salido failed to make weight, weighed in 128+1⁄4 pounds, over the 126 pound limit. On fight night, he rehydrated to 147 pounds, which was equivalent to the welterweight limit. All of which were still legal since there were no rehydration clauses disclosed in the contract. The fight took place in front of 7,323 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on 1 March 2014. Lomachenko would earn $631,000, for what was his second professional bout. Lomachenko seemed to shy away from engaging Salido throughout most of the fight, probably due to Salido landing numerous low blows and head-butts that the referee failed to call and/or deduct a point. A total of 52 low blows can easily be counted throughout the bout, something that his opponent exploited. A late surge, which saw him injure Salido in the final round, was unable to change the final result, losing by split decision. Two judges had it for Salido 116–112 and 115–113, while the third had it for Lomachenko 115–113. Lomachenko, for his part, stated he felt the decision was fair and accepted blame for not following through with his corner's game plan, promising to learn from the experience and come back stronger. The referee of the fight, Laurence Cole, was roundly criticized by many boxing media outlets for his seemingly ignoring the very many foul blows by Salido, and his perceived failure to properly conduct the match.
