Vasiliy Lomachenko announces retirement from boxing

Vasiliy Lomachenko is done with professional boxing.

The 37-year-old Ukrainian announced his decision to retire on social media this week.

“I’m grateful for every victory and defeat inside the ring and outside the ring,” said Lomachenko. “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.

“I thank god for my honest and wonderful and kind parents for their care, love and warmth I’ve felt throughout my life,” Lomachenko added. My father taught me not only boxing, but how to be a role model for my own children.

“I’ve made many mistakes in life and in the gym but he was always by my side, correcting me when needed. I have many warm memories.

“To my family, you have always stood by me. You shared in my victories and you felt the pain of my losses. Those losses only made us stronger.”

Vasiliy Lomachenko’s full video message as he announces his retirement from boxing. pic.twitter.com/1r0xGiWyoC

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) June 5, 2025

Vasiliy Lomachenko leaves behind incredible boxing legacy

One can not overstate the success Vasiliy Lomachenko had in the sport of boxing. The Ukrainian twice won gold medals at the Olympics. First, in Beijing in 2008, and then in London in 2012. After transitioning into pro competition, he won championships at featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight, with the latter being a unified title reign. He lost just three times as a pro, with two of those losses coming against world class foes in Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. He was once considered the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport.

In his last fight, Lomachenko defeated George Kambosos Jr. by stoppage. Australia’s Kambosos was one of the first to react to the news of Lomachenko retiring.

“I felt it was coming,” he told Brian Cambell. “It was an absolute honor to fight that man, I was pinching myself throughout. I have been in with some really big names but this a [Hall of Famer] and a guy I admired coming up the amateurs. I wish him the best.”

Boxing promoter Bob Arum also shared his thoughts on the Ukrainian’s retirement.

“It’s been an honor for all of us at Top Rank to promote the pro boxing career of Vasiliy Lomachenko,” he wrote on social media. “He was a generational champion, and we will all miss his participation in the sport.”