BoxRec

Vasiliy Lomachenko is coming out of retirement and is targeting a return in the fall of this year, sources tell The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger.

Lomachenko’s contract with Top Rank expires today and he’s now a promotional free agent seeking the biggest fights possible.

Turki’s cheque book talks :)

Lomachenko is my favorite. But who can he fight? I don’t want him coming back for just normal good guys…. I feel his incredible reflex style won’t age well.

Tank? PAC? Floyd? Benn?

Seems like too much of a purist for McGregor or Jake Paul….

I just don’t like any fights for him really at this point…

Inoue…? Bam?

gregregegg wrote: ↑12 May 2026, 19:12 Lomachenko is my favorite. But who can he fight? I don’t want him coming back for just normal good guys…. I feel his incredible reflex style won’t age well.

Tank? PAC? Floyd? Benn?

Seems like too much of a purist for McGregor or Jake Paul….

I just don’t like any fights for him really at this point…

Inoue…? Bam?

Teofimo 2 maybe

gilgamesh wrote: ↑12 May 2026, 20:59

gregregegg wrote: ↑12 May 2026, 19:12 Lomachenko is my favorite. But who can he fight? I don’t want him coming back for just normal good guys…. I feel his incredible reflex style won’t age well.

Tank? PAC? Floyd? Benn?

Seems like too much of a purist for McGregor or Jake Paul….

I just don’t like any fights for him really at this point…

Inoue…? Bam?

Teofimo 2 maybe

Too big to young surely? While I fully believe Loma was much better than teo (still can’t figure out why he took the first 6 rounds off…) but not at this point.

I think the opponent has to be old or small or not a real boxer.

Loma being Loma. I don't expect him to fight an easy opponent. Or at least if he does it'll only be as a warmup for a big fight.

Vasiliy Lomachenko ends retirement, eyes fall return

Three-weight world champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is coming out of retirement and targeting a return in fall of this year, sources tell The Ring.

Lomachenko's contract with Top Rank expires May 12 and he's now a promotional free agent. The future Hall of Fame is only interested in marquee fights, sources said, and isn't interested in tune-ups.

Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) last fought in May 2024 when he stopped George Kambosos in 11 rounds to win the IBF lightweight title.

The two-time Olympic champion was in talks to fight Gervonta Davis in the fall of 2024 but was dealing with back issues, leading him to announce his retirement the following June.

The 38-year-old's back is feeling much better now, per sources, and he plans to fight a couple more times. That could include revisiting the "Tank" Davis fight.

Lomachenko could still work with Top Rank moving forward. He won Olympic gold medals for Ukraine in Beijing (2008) and London (2012) before transitioning to the paid ranks, claiming world titles in three weight divisions.

His first world title victory came in his third pro appearance, a 12-round decision win over Gary Russell Jr to claim the vacant WBO featherweight belt.

Lomachenko's losses meanwhile, all came in title fights via decision.

His first defeat came against Orlando Salido in his second pro fight at featherweight. He also was outpointed by Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and Devin Haney three years later at lightweight. Nonetheless, Lomachenko remained a staple within the pound-for-pound list since his first title victory some 14 years ago.

Hope he avoids an American or Mexican. They love a robbery with Loma

Even when he did actually lose, it still managed to be a robbery like Vs Lopez. Yes, I agree Lopez won. But not by the extent he did on the cards

If everything is fine with his health, he might have up to 2 years of good performance. Of course, he will complain of being robbed if he loses.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑12 May 2026, 18:26

Lomachenko’s contract with Top Rank expires today and he’s now a promotional free agent seeking the biggest fights possible.

He's 38 and been inactive for 2 years but interesting he announces a comeback the day his Top Rank contract expired, I wonder if there was some type of other issue that prompted his "retirement"

Controversial wrote: ↑13 May 2026, 08:13

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑12 May 2026, 18:26 Lomachenko’s contract with Top Rank expires today and he’s now a promotional free agent seeking the biggest fights possible.

He's 38 and been inactive for 2 years but interesting he announces a comeback the day his Top Rank contract expired, I wonder if there was some type of other issue that prompted his "retirement"

i mean, the sources say that he could still return with Top Rank..

All but PBC, are with DAZN anyway, and PBC are working with DAZN when they need to anway. Otherwise, Riyadh season cards are on DAZN or Netflix. So, he should just negotiate his own way.

Maybe just join Usyk's 17 Promotions, or are they no longer friends.

How often does a rematch in the late 30s after 2 years of inactivity actually work out?

However, Lomachenko Vs Andy Cruz anyone?

Vasiliy Lomachenko ending yearlong retirement, eyes fall fight

Vasiliy Lomachenko is planning to end his retirement and return to boxing later this year, his manager, Egis Klimas, told ESPN on Wednesday.

"We are working on his comeback this fall," Klimas said.

When Lomachenko does return, he will be a free agent as his contract with Top Rank expired on May 12, and will target the biggest and best fighters in the world.

Lomachenko announced his retirement last June, one year after stopping former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. There were preliminary talks of a blockbuster fight with Gervonta "Tank" Davis, but the fight never materialized. After taking the rest of 2024 off to mull over his future, Lomachenko released a video announcing that he would end his career at age 37.

At the time of his retirement, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) was a three-division world champion who was widely recognized as one of the best boxers in the world and a mainstay on pound for pound lists.

"Hi Tech" won his first world championship as a featherweight in his third pro fight after a stellar amateur career in which he won Olympic gold for his native Ukraine at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics and amassed a record of 396-1. He would go on to become a world champion at junior lightweight and lightweight.

After losing a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023, he bounced back with a dominant win over Kambosos before ultimately deciding to call it a career.

His return will be highly anticipated due to the change in landscape in the smaller weight classes. He has not announced what weight he will return at but does have plans to compete more than once now that his back issues are seemingly behind him.

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑14 May 2026, 06:53 Vasiliy Lomachenko ending yearlong retirement, eyes fall fight

Vasiliy Lomachenko is planning to end his retirement and return to boxing later this year, his manager, Egis Klimas, told ESPN on Wednesday.

"We are working on his comeback this fall," Klimas said.

When Lomachenko does return, he will be a free agent as his contract with Top Rank expired on May 12, and will target the biggest and best fighters in the world.

Lomachenko announced his retirement last June, one year after stopping former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. There were preliminary talks of a blockbuster fight with Gervonta "Tank" Davis, but the fight never materialized. After taking the rest of 2024 off to mull over his future, Lomachenko released a video announcing that he would end his career at age 37.

At the time of his retirement, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) was a three-division world champion who was widely recognized as one of the best boxers in the world and a mainstay on pound for pound lists.

"Hi Tech" won his first world championship as a featherweight in his third pro fight after a stellar amateur career in which he won Olympic gold for his native Ukraine at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics and amassed a record of 396-1. He would go on to become a world champion at junior lightweight and lightweight.

After losing a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023, he bounced back with a dominant win over Kambosos before ultimately deciding to call it a career.

His return will be highly anticipated due to the change in landscape in the smaller weight classes. He has not announced what weight he will return at but does have plans to compete more than once now that his back issues are seemingly behind him.

my back issues have always been behind me. no seemingly about it

Arum on Lomachenko: I don't know what, if anything, he’s lost

Vasiliy Lomachenko plans to return from a two-year hiatus this fall at the age of 38.

The development, which was first reported by The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, came as somewhat of a surprise, especially since Lomachenko passed on high-profile fights along the way and officially announced that he was riding off into the sunset 11 months ago.

But Lomachenko's promotional contract with career-long promoter Top Rank expired this week, apparently giving Loma even more reason to lace the gloves up again searching for a significant fight without any tune-ups.

The landscape for Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs), a former three-division champion from featherweight to lightweight, would entail potential fights against top draws like Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson or Top Rank-aligned upstart lightweight beltholders Abdullah Mason and Raymond Muratalla.

“I don't know what, if anything, Lomachenko has lost with a two-year retirement,” Top Rank boss Bob Arum told reporters. “So, for me to hypothesize how he would do with all of these younger guys would be wrong. We'll just have to see.

“I don't know what his financial situation is. He earned a lot of money with us. He lives in Ukraine, and there are a lot of problems there. Maybe he needs money, or maybe he's just anxious to get out of the house.

"But Loma represents the best of what boxing has to offer. I wish him the best because he was a great, great warrior for us. He really epitomizes the best in boxing.”

Lomachenko last fought in May 2024, scoring an 11th-round stoppage of George Kambosos in Australia for the vacant IBF lightweight title, which he vacated upon retirement.

Before announcing his retirement, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was in talks to face “Tank” Davis in the fall of 2024, but the Ukrainian passed on the bout as he endured lingering back issues.

It remains to be seen what the desired weight will be for Lomachenko's return.

Even during his heyday, Lomachenko maintained that he felt too small at 135 pounds, at which he fought the last 10 fights of his career and suffered competitive losses along the way against his toughest opponents in Devin Haney in 2023 and Teofimo Lopez three years earlier.

Of Loma's three losses, how many do YOU have him losing?

For me I thought he beat Salido but it was close.

I had him losing to Lopez although it was a weird fight. I can't remember my exact scoring but it was something like Lopez won 5 of the 6 rounds & then Loma won then next 5 & I remember thinking that if he won the 12th I'd have it a draw but Lopez pulled out a big last round to win.

I had him beating Haney by about 7-5. I didn't think it was a robbery though. There were a lot of close rounds. But I did think he was a winner. Saying that I was in Zihuatanejo, Mexico & drinking Margaritas and Mezcal shots. So I may have been watching two blokes on the street fighting & just thinking it was Loma v Haney.

So only ONE loss for me.

Taansend wrote: ↑17 May 2026, 23:57 Of Loma's three losses, how many do YOU have him losing?

For me I thought he beat Salido but it was close.

I had him losing to Lopez although it was a weird fight. I can't remember my exact scoring but it was something like Lopez won 5 of the 6 rounds & then Loma won then next 5 & I remember thinking that if he won the 12th I'd have it a draw but Lopez pulled out a big last round to win.

I had him beating Haney by about 7-5. I didn't think it was a robbery though. There were a lot of close rounds. But I did think he was a winner. Saying that I was in Zihuatanejo, Mexico & drinking Margaritas and Mezcal shots. So I may have been watching two blokes on the street fighting & just thinking it was Loma v Haney.

So only ONE loss for me.

I got him 0-2-1 in his losses. I thought he was outhustled by outfought by Salido, but he was starting to come on when it ended similar to the Lopez loss, but it was too little too late.

I scored the Haney fight recently, but don't really remember how I had it other than I had it close.

Lomachenko Targets Fights With Navarrete, 'Tank' Davis

Vasiliy Lomachenko won’t ease back into his return after being out of the ring for two-plus years.

The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported last week that Lomachenko, a former three-division world champion, is coming out of retirement for a fight in the fall and is only seeking significant bouts. On the latest episode of “Inside The Ring,” which debuted Monday on DAZN, Coppinger reported that the former Ring champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist is looking at unified IBF and WBO 130-pound champion Emanuel Navarrete as a possible opponent.

Coppinger added that if Lomachenko were to fight and beat Navarrete, he could then set his sights on WBA lightweight champion in recess Gervonta Davis. Representatives for Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) and Davis were in talks for a potential bout in late 2024, before the Ukrainian southpaw retired.

Lomachenko, 38, last fought in May 2024, when he beat George Kambosos by 11th-round stoppage to win the then-vacant IBF lightweight title. He opted to retire in June 2025 as he continued to deal with lingering back issues.

Lomachenko has held titles at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight. He twice held a world title at lightweight and was a unified champion during his first title reign.

Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) and Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) would both fit the bill as a big fight for Lomachenko. Navarrete, of San Juan Zitlaltepec, Distrito Federal, Mexico, is coming one of the best wins of his career, an 11th-round stoppage of Eduardo Nunez on February 28 to become a unified 130-pound titleholder.

That win also helped land the 31-year-old Navarrete at No. 10 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list. Navarrete has won world titles in three divisions.

Davis had been one of boxing’s top attractions, but he has lost all momentum after opting for a fight with Jake Paul, which was cancelled due to Davis’ legal issues. The 31-year-old southpaw from Baltimore, Maryland, last fought to a majority draw against Lamont Roach Jr. in March 2025.

Timing is clearly "odd" - waited until his contract expired. How retired was he?

Isn't it a bit odd that he had a "time frame" contract and not just a number of fights deal with top rank.

Usyk happy to see Lomachenko return to boxing

Oleksandr Usyk couldn’t stop himself from smiling when he heard the news.

Vasiliy Lomachenko, Usyk's Ukrainian countryman and a former three-division titleholder, plans to return to boxing after a two-year hiatus. And he has the heavyweight champion's full support.

“If it’s true, it’s good. I like it,” Usyk told Matchroom Boxing.

As reported by The Ring, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) is eyeing a matchup with IBF and WBO junior lightweight belt holder Emanuel Navarrete. He’s also hoping to face Gervonta Davis immediately after. Lomachenko and Davis were in talks for a fight in 2024 before the former opted to retire after beating George Kambosos for the IBF lightweight title.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs), who is set to defend his Ring and unified titles against kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven in The Ring's "Glory in Giza" card at the Pyramids in Egypt on DAZN, said Lomachenko played a role in his own success at cruiserweight and heavyweight.

Lomachenko won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 to establish himself as an amateur legend. Usyk also was an Olympic champion in 2012 before his dominating run as a professional.

Usyk said he has looked up to Lomachenko.

“Listen, my first Olympic Games, after the final where Vasiliy won, I said, 'OK, I too want Olympic gold,'” Usyk said. “Loma is like a motivation.”

Loma is getting on i was thinking he would fight inoue butbhave a feeling that wont be possible

Spud MK2 wrote: ↑23 May 2026, 09:00 Loma is getting on i was thinking he would fight inoue butbhave a feeling that wont be possible

Great pic Spud you’ve met everyone!!!

WBO: Lomachenko can fight Navarrete after Suarez gets his shot

The WBO won’t let Vasiliy Lomachenko skip the line.

As reported by The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, the three-division world champion is planning to end a two-year retirement in the fall, with one of his desired opponents being Emanuel Navarrete, the WBO and IBF junior lightweight champion.

The WBO informed The Ring that it is willing to let Lomachenko get a crack at the unified champion, but not until Navarrete fights Charly Suarez.

Shortly after beating Eduardo Nunez to unify the 130-pound titles, the WBO ordered Navarrete to fight Suarez, his mandatory challenger.

The two fought last May and with Suarez being the heavy underdog. Despite that, he had plenty of success and gave Navarrete a serious fight.

Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs, 1 NC) initially won a technical decision after suffering a cut which stopped the fight in the eighth round. The cut was believed to have been caused by an accidental headbutt and Suarez was down just one point on two judges' scorecards. However, the decision was eventually overturned to a No Contest as the large gash that opened up over Navarrete’s left eye was proven to be the result of a punch, not a clash of heads.

Suarez (18-0, 10 KOs, 1 NC) will first take a stay-busy fight against Manuel Avila on July 11. Navarrete will have to fight him immediately after.

In the meantime, Lomachenko, who held Navarrete’s WBO 130-pound title in 2016, could wait around for the winner. He may also go down another path.

Gervonta Davis was also mentioned as someone Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) wants to get his hands on. The two were initially in discussions to fight at the end of 2024, shortly after “Loma” beat George Kambosos for the IBF lightweight title.
Those discussions never gained any traction, however, and soon after, Lomachenko abruptly retirement

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.