Breaking News: Vasiliy Lomachenko wants Charly Suarez for comeback, official says
Vasiliy Lomachenko is targeting recent super-featherweight title challenger Charly Suarez for his comeback fight after more than a two-year hiatus, BS learned Wednesday.
An official briefed on Lomachenko’s plans said Lomachenko 18-3 (12 KOs) wants to take on what he considers a formidable challenge against the undefeated fighter from the Philippines and will be ready for the bout after Suarez 18-0 (10 KOs) participates on the July 11 San Francisco Civic Center card that’s expected to draw a large outdoor audience with mostly free attendance.
Lomachenko views the Suarez bout as ideal, an official familiar with the matter told Boxing Scene.
In victory, Lomachenko reasons, he can next meet unified super-featherweight champion Emanuel Navarrete.
Suarez is the mandatory WBO challenger to Mexico’s Navarrete after the pair fought to a controversial no-contest on May 10, 2025, when a cut over Navarrete’s eye stopped the bout and was ruled the result of an accidental headbutt.
That sent the fight to the scorecards and Navarrete won 77-76, 78-75, 77-76, but video replay that later emerged showed the cut was caused by a Suarez punch, meaning he should have won. The California State Athletic Commission changed the Navarrete victory to a no-contest, and the WBO ordered a rematch.
Navarrete, 31, in February stopped then-IBF champion Eduardo “Sugar” Nunez in Arizona to become unified champion at 130lbs as Suarez moved to his July fight to keep busy.
Lomachenko has left his former promoter Top Rank and is being represented by a new group. Suarez is now being promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz.
Navarrete, still being promoted by Top Rank, said recently in his first public comments on the possibility that former three-division Lomachenko is targeting him, that he’s keeping his options open as his next career move awaits.
WBO/IBF super-featherweight champion Navarrete said, “if he comes for me, then [I’ll] focus on him.”
In a conversation with ESPN Knockout, three-division champion Navarrete 40-2-1 (33KOs) spoke of his respect for Lomachenko and his legacy after the two-time Olympic gold medalist walked away from the sport after defeating George Kambosos Jnr for the IBF lightweight belt two years ago.
“He’s already done more than enough, right?” Navarrete said. “He’s done a lot of impressive and very good things.”
Lomachenko lost only to world champions Orlando Salido (in his second pro bout), Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez while amassing world titles in three weight classes and once stopping four consecutive opponents on their stools – including fellow two-time Olympic champion Guillermo Rigondeaux – to earn the nickname “No-Mas-Chenko.”
Navarrete, 31, has interest in Saturday’s WBC 130lbs title defense by champion O’Shaquie Foster versus Raymond Ford after Foster sat ringside for Navarrete’s most recent victory.
Ultimately, Lomachenko is a far greater draw for a Navarrete bout that could land anywhere in the Southwest U.S. – Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles – and perform strongly.
Boxing Scene learned Wednesday that no negotiations of substance have occurred between Lomachenko’s representatives and those of another prominent lightweight champion believed to be on Lomachenko’s list, Gervonta “Tank” Davis.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is coming out of retirement and is targeting a return in the fall of this year, sources tell The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger.
