Lomachenko ended his boxing career shortly after Russian troops invaded Ukraine in February. Although promoter Bob Arum got him a waiver, he decided to return to his homeland and forgo a title fight with Australian George Kambosos in June.
The 2008 and London 2012 Beijing Olympic champion and two-time amateur world champion served in the territorial defense unit in his hometown of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyj near Odessa. Lomachenko decided to return to the ring in September. “Do you know what motivated me? Four belts,” said one of the most successful amateur boxers in history, who turned pro with a record of 396 wins and one loss after winning.
Lomachenko lost his league belt two years ago after a loss to Teófim López. After Saturday’s victory, he faces a title duel with American Devin Haney, who replaced him for the fight with Kambosos and defeated the Australian in June and in the recent rematch in October. Haney has thus added the IBF, WBA and WBO titles to the WBC championship belt, which he has had since 2019, and is the undisputed lightweight champion.
