As so many boxing fans have heard, all-time great and lock as a future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko has officially announced his retirement. Loma, a true joy to watch, his “Matrix” proving to be an unsolvable puzzle for so many of his opponents, left pretty much everyone who saw him do his stuff in a state of bewilderment.
Going out at the age of 37, this after having achieved almost surreal numbers as an amateur – 396-1, with TWO Olympic gold medals won – Lomachenko would rule the world in three weight divisions as a pro. In compiling his 18-3(12) record, it could be argued that the Ukrainian southpaw was never truly, comprehensibly beaten; Loma’s decision losses to Orlando Salido (this in Loma’s second pro outing), Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney being close and also debatable.
A career of near-perfect dominance
Lomachenko also fought for his people, and his decision to call it a career was in no way an easy one for him to make. Now, as we have to say goodbye to one of the most intelligent, purest boxers his generation has seen, we fans will sure miss Loma.
The tributes have been quite literally poring in since Loma announced his retirement.
Bob Arum, who of course promoted Lomachenko, had the following to say about Loma some years back: “I would like to say this, Lomachenko is technically the best fighter I have seen since the early Muhammad Ali.”
“He was a generational champion”—Top Rank honors Loma
While today, the Top Rank boss paid tribute to Loma again:
“It’s been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko,” Arum said. “He was a generational champion, and we will miss his participation in the sport.”
Lomachenko, when he was at his blinding peak, not only defeated fine fighters such as Nicholas Walters, Jason Sosa, Miguel Marriaga and Guillermo Rigondeaux, he also made them flat-out quit. Indeed, there was a time when Loma was handed another nickname, that of “No Mas Chenko.”
After forcing the aforementioned quartet of fighters to capitulate, Lomachenko would defeat additional quality opposition in the form of Jorge Linares, Jose Pedraza, Anthony Crolla, and Luke Campbell. Loma would then start off too slow and would lose a close decision to Teofimo Lopez. After that spell, the boxing master who so uplifted the boxing world would fight just five more times.
Lomachenko would, in the opinion of almost everyone who saw the fight, be robbed of a win over Devin Haney, this in May of 2023, before he returned to find some more of his old form in stopping George Kambosos a year later.
That late stoppage win over Kambosos will serve as Loma’s career finale.
One man who perhaps paid the most fitting tribute to Lomachenko is retired Scottish warrior Alex Arthur, who said of Loma that “we might not see anything like him again for 100 years.”
Maybe.
