Latest news with #VasiliyLomachenko


USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Boxing great Vasiliy Lomachenko retires after more than 400 wins
Boxing great Vasiliy Lomachenko retires after more than 400 wins (This story originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports.) Two-time Olympic boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37. Lomachenko won gold for Ukraine in the featherweight division at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, and followed it up with a gold in the lightweight division at the 2012 Games in London. Widely considered to be one of the greatest amateur boxers in history, he amassed a record of 396-1 before turning pro in 2013. "I'm grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life," Lomachenko said in a video posted on Instagram Thursday. "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." As a professional, Lomachenko won world titles in three different divisions, but lost a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023 in a bid to regain the undisputed world lightweight title. Known by nicknames such as "The Matrix" and "Hi-Tech," Lomachenko's final fight came in May 2024, when he stopped Australian George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round, running his professional record to 18-3.

3 days ago
- Sport
Olympic star, 3-time pro champion Vasiliy Lomachenko announces retirement from boxing
Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from boxing after a decorated career that included two Olympic gold medals and professional world titles in three weight classes. Lomachenko announced his decision with a video on social media Thursday. 'I am grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,' Lomachenko 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 true victory." The Ukrainian star burst onto the international boxing scene at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the 20-year-old prospect steamrolled the competition. He showed off athleticism, footwork and ring intelligence far beyond his years, clearly marking himself as a once-in-a-generation talent. But he eschewed the professional sport and returned to win gold at the London Games four years later alongside Oleksandr Usyk, his close friend and the future undisputed professional world heavyweight champion. After going 396-1 as an amateur, Lomachenko finally embarked on a pro career largely spent in the U.S. Lomachenko won the WBO featherweight title in his third professional fight in June 2014, beating Gary Russell Jr. after ordering his promoters to get him a near-immediate title shot after turning pro. He won the junior lightweight belt in 2016 by stopping Román Martínez, and he added the WBA lightweight world title in 2018, stopping Jorge Linares. Lomachenko finished his pro career 18-3 with 12 stoppage victories, incurring late-career decision losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. 'It's been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko," said Bob Arum, Lomachenko's U.S. promoter. "He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.' Lomachenko paused his career for several months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and he has fought only three times since 2021. He stopped George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round of his final bout in May 2024.


San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Olympic star, 3-time pro champion Vasiliy Lomachenko announces retirement from boxing
Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from boxing after a decorated career that included two Olympic gold medals and professional world titles in three weight classes. Lomachenko announced his decision with a video on social media Thursday. 'I am grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,' Lomachenko 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 true victory." The Ukrainian star burst onto the international boxing scene at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the 20-year-old prospect steamrolled the competition. He showed off athleticism, footwork and ring intelligence far beyond his years, clearly marking himself as a once-in-a-generation talent. But he eschewed the professional sport and returned to win gold at the London Games four years later alongside Oleksandr Usyk, his close friend and the future undisputed professional world heavyweight champion. After going 396-1 as an amateur, Lomachenko finally embarked on a pro career largely spent in the U.S. Lomachenko won the WBO featherweight title in his third professional fight in June 2014, beating Gary Russell Jr. after ordering his promoters to get him a near-immediate title shot after turning pro. He won the junior lightweight belt in 2016 by stopping Román Martínez, and he added the WBA lightweight world title in 2018, stopping Jorge Linares. Lomachenko finished his pro career 18-3 with 12 stoppage victories, incurring late-career decision losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. 'It's been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko," said Bob Arum, Lomachenko's U.S. promoter. "He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.' Lomachenko paused his career for several months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and he has fought only three times since 2021. He stopped George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round of his final bout in May 2024. ___


Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Olympic star, 3-time pro champion Vasiliy Lomachenko announces retirement from boxing
Associated Press Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from boxing after a decorated career that included two Olympic gold medals and professional world titles in three weight classes. Lomachenko announced his decision with a video on social media Thursday. 'I am grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,' Lomachenko 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 true victory." The Ukrainian star burst onto the international boxing scene at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the 20-year-old prospect steamrolled the competition. He showed off athleticism, footwork and ring intelligence far beyond his years, clearly marking himself as a once-in-a-generation talent. But he eschewed the professional sport and returned to win gold at the London Games four years later alongside Oleksandr Usyk, his close friend and the future undisputed professional world heavyweight champion. After going 396-1 as an amateur, Lomachenko finally embarked on a pro career largely spent in the U.S. Lomachenko won the WBO featherweight title in his third professional fight in June 2014, beating Gary Russell Jr. after ordering his promoters to get him a near-immediate title shot after turning pro. He won the junior lightweight belt in 2016 by stopping Roman Martinez, and he added the WBA lightweight world title in 2018, stopping Jorge Linares. Lomachenko finished his pro career 18-3 with 12 stoppage victories, incurring late-career decision losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. 'It's been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko," said Bob Arum, Lomachenko's U.S. promoter. "He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.' Lomachenko paused his career for several months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and he has fought only three times since 2021. He stopped George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round of his final bout in May 2024. ___ AP boxing:


Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Olympic star, 3-time pro champion Vasiliy Lomachenko announces retirement from boxing
Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from boxing after a decorated career that included two Olympic gold medals and professional world titles in three weight classes. Lomachenko announced his decision with a video on social media Thursday. 'I am grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,' Lomachenko 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 true victory.' The Ukrainian star burst onto the international boxing scene at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when the 20-year-old prospect steamrolled the competition. He showed off athleticism, footwork and ring intelligence far beyond his years, clearly marking himself as a once-in-a-generation talent. But he eschewed the professional sport and returned to win gold at the London Games four years later alongside Oleksandr Usyk, his close friend and the future undisputed professional world heavyweight champion. After going 396-1 as an amateur, Lomachenko finally embarked on a pro career largely spent in the U.S. Lomachenko won the WBO featherweight title in his third professional fight in June 2014, beating Gary Russell Jr. after ordering his promoters to get him a near-immediate title shot after turning pro. He won the junior lightweight belt in 2016 by stopping Román Martínez, and he added the WBA lightweight world title in 2018, stopping Jorge Linares. Lomachenko finished his pro career 18-3 with 12 stoppage victories, incurring late-career decision losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. 'It's been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko,' said Bob Arum, Lomachenko's U.S. promoter. 'He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.' Lomachenko paused his career for several months after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and he has fought only three times since 2021. He stopped George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round of his final bout in May 2024. ___ AP boxing: