Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Cool. Didn't he already say this part of the announcement? So where's the fight announcement part?
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Now he’s given us a month. Next announcement will be date.
Then venue.
Then promotion.
Then opponent.
Then how many rounds.
Then whatever vacant belt.
Sounds about right eh?
Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Getting my crystal balls out I think it will be one of these three......
Mauricio Lara - Ex World Champ who can be outboxed who's on a bit of a tear up at 130 at the moment. Mexican too so the fans will turn out.
Ryan Garner - has a version of the WBC belt.
Rafael Espinoza - he's said he's moving up & he brings a lot to the table.
Mauricio Lara - Ex World Champ who can be outboxed who's on a bit of a tear up at 130 at the moment. Mexican too so the fans will turn out.
Ryan Garner - has a version of the WBC belt.
Rafael Espinoza - he's said he's moving up & he brings a lot to the table.
Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Espinoza would knock him out.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
He wants the winner of Nava-Foster.
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Even if it isn't Cacace, it looks like he wants to face a champ.
A tough comeback fight. Fair play to him. He's had very few walkover or warmup opponents in his relatively short professional career.
Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Probably indicates lightweight was a division too high for him. Size definitely seemed a factor in the loss to Teo
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Lomachenko plans return at ‘natural weight’, aims for undisputed title
Ukraine's three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko plans to return at 130 lbs and pursue undisputed status
Three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko of Ukraine looks to make another run at becoming undisputed champion. The 38-year-old plans to return at super featherweight, which he calls his natural weight.
- Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) was last in action in May 2024 in Perth, Australia, where he defeated George Kambosos Jr. by unanimous decision to claim the vacant IBF lightweight title.
- He was then expected to face Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who held the WBA lightweight title at the time, but the fight did not materialize.
- A year later, Lomachenko announced his retirement from boxing.
- This past May, it was reported that he was planning to return this fall.
During an interview on Saturday at the Navarrete vs Foster event in San Antonio, Lomachenko was asked what made him decide to return to the ring.
‘135 is not my natural weight’
“One day when I wake up, I think now I’m 38 years old and we need to try one more time be undisputed champion. Because if it will be then I will 40 or 41 years old, it will be too late. That’s why I make a decision back.”
- When asked why he did not fight Gervonta Davis and instead announced his retirement, Lomachenko said, “Because you know, I’m tired from boxing and this weight class is 135 is not my natural weight and now I am back. But I’m back in the 130 – in my natural weight class. That’s why I’m ready.”
“Yes, I want [to fight for title at 130 lbs]. Yes,” he said.
“I will check [how I feel] in next year. Maybe in next year I will fight and I will check my condition.”
Ukraine's three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko plans to return at 130 lbs and pursue undisputed status
Three-division world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko of Ukraine looks to make another run at becoming undisputed champion. The 38-year-old plans to return at super featherweight, which he calls his natural weight.
- Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) was last in action in May 2024 in Perth, Australia, where he defeated George Kambosos Jr. by unanimous decision to claim the vacant IBF lightweight title.
- He was then expected to face Gervonta “Tank” Davis, who held the WBA lightweight title at the time, but the fight did not materialize.
- A year later, Lomachenko announced his retirement from boxing.
- This past May, it was reported that he was planning to return this fall.
During an interview on Saturday at the Navarrete vs Foster event in San Antonio, Lomachenko was asked what made him decide to return to the ring.
‘135 is not my natural weight’
“One day when I wake up, I think now I’m 38 years old and we need to try one more time be undisputed champion. Because if it will be then I will 40 or 41 years old, it will be too late. That’s why I make a decision back.”
- When asked why he did not fight Gervonta Davis and instead announced his retirement, Lomachenko said, “Because you know, I’m tired from boxing and this weight class is 135 is not my natural weight and now I am back. But I’m back in the 130 – in my natural weight class. That’s why I’m ready.”
“Yes, I want [to fight for title at 130 lbs]. Yes,” he said.
“I will check [how I feel] in next year. Maybe in next year I will fight and I will check my condition.”
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Lomachenko desires undisputed status before it's too late'
When Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement in June 2025, he did so without explaining why.
Now that he’s officially ending his time on the sidelines, he took the time to explain why he’s coming back.
“One day when I woke up, I’m thinking, now I’m 38 years old, and we need to try one more time to be undisputed champion,” Lomachenko said on the DAZN telecast. “If I’m 40 or 41 years old, then it will be too late. That’s why I decided to come back.
“When I came into professional boxing, it was my main goal. It’s my dream. That’s why I’m back. I want to fight with the champion, whoever holds the title. I don’t care who it would be.”
In 2023, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) nearly achieved that dream against Devin Haney, who was the lightweight division’s undisputed champion. However, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and former three-division titlist lost a narrow unanimous decision.
Roughly a year later, the Ukrainian retired after an 11th-round stoppage win over George Kambosos to become IBF lightweight champion.
With the future first-ballot Hall of Famer returning, he doesn’t want to ease back into the mix.
Saturday night, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, O’Shaquie Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) scored a dominant unanimous decision over Emanuel Navarrete. In doing so, he won The Ring, IBF, and WBO junior lightweight titles, while also retaining his WBC belt.
Moments before the bout, Lomachenko told the telecast he would like to fight the winner.
No date for his return has been set yet, but he still hopes to return before the end of the year.
When Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement in June 2025, he did so without explaining why.
Now that he’s officially ending his time on the sidelines, he took the time to explain why he’s coming back.
“One day when I woke up, I’m thinking, now I’m 38 years old, and we need to try one more time to be undisputed champion,” Lomachenko said on the DAZN telecast. “If I’m 40 or 41 years old, then it will be too late. That’s why I decided to come back.
“When I came into professional boxing, it was my main goal. It’s my dream. That’s why I’m back. I want to fight with the champion, whoever holds the title. I don’t care who it would be.”
In 2023, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) nearly achieved that dream against Devin Haney, who was the lightweight division’s undisputed champion. However, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and former three-division titlist lost a narrow unanimous decision.
Roughly a year later, the Ukrainian retired after an 11th-round stoppage win over George Kambosos to become IBF lightweight champion.
With the future first-ballot Hall of Famer returning, he doesn’t want to ease back into the mix.
Saturday night, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, O’Shaquie Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) scored a dominant unanimous decision over Emanuel Navarrete. In doing so, he won The Ring, IBF, and WBO junior lightweight titles, while also retaining his WBC belt.
Moments before the bout, Lomachenko told the telecast he would like to fight the winner.
No date for his return has been set yet, but he still hopes to return before the end of the year.
Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Why not Lomachenko vs Pacquiao?
Makes a lot more sense than Pacquiao vs Cordina that's for goddamn sure.
Makes a lot more sense than Pacquiao vs Cordina that's for goddamn sure.
Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Can someone tell me how to add a profile pic to a fighters record page here? Thank you!
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Ruthless-RKO
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Re: Lomachenko Making a Return in 2026
Arum says Loma will likely fight Suarez before Ring champ Foster
Vasiliy Lomachenko’s next two fights are being worked on, says promoter Bob Arum.
Lomachenko, who’s planning his return after retiring in 2025, sat ringside on Saturday night and watched O’Shaquie Foster outbox Emanuel Navarrete to retain his WBC junior lightweight title, while also adding The Ring, IBF and WBO belts to his collection.
Arum, Top Rank founder and CEO, is hoping to land that fight for the Ukrainian, as well as one more.
“Loma will probably fight Charly Suarez,” he told Fight Hub TV. “And then hopefully by next mid-year, they can fight each other.”
Suarez (19-0, 13 KOs) initially lost to Navarrete via technical decision. The then-champion was cut over his left eye in the eighth-round from what was a perceived clash of heads. However, that decision was overturned to a no-contest as replay indicated that Navarrete’s cut was a result of a punch from Suarez.
The Filipino native was placed as the mandatory challenger for Navarrete, who was allowed to fight Foster under the condition that the winner had to face Suarez next.
Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division champion, held the IBF lightweight title upon his retirement. For his comeback, he plans to return to 130 pounds, where he once held the WBO title.
His sole motivation is to become an undisputed champion, something that eluded him during his controversial decision loss to Devin Haney in 2024.
Arum will do his best to make that fight happen.
As for his thoughts on how Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) performed against Navarrete (40-3-1, 33 KOs), he took the time to praise his unified champion.
“It was a good fight,” Arum said. “O’Shaquie fought a very disciplined fight. Navarrete is not the easiest guy to fight because he comes from so many different angles. So it was a good victory.”
Vasiliy Lomachenko’s next two fights are being worked on, says promoter Bob Arum.
Lomachenko, who’s planning his return after retiring in 2025, sat ringside on Saturday night and watched O’Shaquie Foster outbox Emanuel Navarrete to retain his WBC junior lightweight title, while also adding The Ring, IBF and WBO belts to his collection.
Arum, Top Rank founder and CEO, is hoping to land that fight for the Ukrainian, as well as one more.
“Loma will probably fight Charly Suarez,” he told Fight Hub TV. “And then hopefully by next mid-year, they can fight each other.”
Suarez (19-0, 13 KOs) initially lost to Navarrete via technical decision. The then-champion was cut over his left eye in the eighth-round from what was a perceived clash of heads. However, that decision was overturned to a no-contest as replay indicated that Navarrete’s cut was a result of a punch from Suarez.
The Filipino native was placed as the mandatory challenger for Navarrete, who was allowed to fight Foster under the condition that the winner had to face Suarez next.
Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs), a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division champion, held the IBF lightweight title upon his retirement. For his comeback, he plans to return to 130 pounds, where he once held the WBO title.
His sole motivation is to become an undisputed champion, something that eluded him during his controversial decision loss to Devin Haney in 2024.
Arum will do his best to make that fight happen.
As for his thoughts on how Foster (26-3, 12 KOs) performed against Navarrete (40-3-1, 33 KOs), he took the time to praise his unified champion.
“It was a good fight,” Arum said. “O’Shaquie fought a very disciplined fight. Navarrete is not the easiest guy to fight because he comes from so many different angles. So it was a good victory.”