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The two-time Olympic champion (2008 and 2012), winner of Val Barker Cup (2008), two-time world champion and European champion in amateurs, as well as a professional boxer, who became the world champion in three different weight categories (57, 59 and 61 Kilo) for record-breaking minimum number of fights - 12. Vasyl also set the record for the number of fights for which he became the world champion in two weight categories - 7, and also repeated the record for the minimum number of fights for which he became the world champion - 3.
Vasiliy Lomachenko was born February 17, 1988, in Belgorod-Dnistrovskoe, Odessa Region, in the family of coaches Anatoly and Tatyana. He mastered all the basics of the "sweet science" under Joseph Katz, the late coach, then his father began to train the athlete.
The first international success for Lomachenko came in 2004, when he won European Cadet Championship (under 16) and became the best boxer of the event. In 2006 Vasiliy repeated his achievement, winning the junior world championship.
At his first ever adult World Championships in 2007, Lomachenko reached the finals, where he lost on points to Russian Albert Selimov. That defeat was the only one in Lomachenko's amateur career, but Vasyl was able to take revenge for it twice - at the Olympics in Beijing and within the WSB semi-professional tournament.
At the 2008 Olympics, Lomachenko won his first Olympic gold medal and won the Val Barker Trophy as the best boxer of the tournament. After the Olympics, Lomachenko took part in the European Championship where he also won gold. After Beijing, Vasiliy receives offers to go to the professionals, but on his father's advice he stays in the amateurs for one more cycle. At this point, Lomachenko is 20 years old.
In 2009, Vasiliy made up for the lack of gold medal on the World Championships, when he became the champion in Milan.
The 2011 World Championship takes place in Baku. Here Lomachenko becomes a two-time world champion. At the 1/8 finals stage, the judges judge rates Lomachenko's fight in favor of Brazilian Robson Conceição, but after the protest of the Ukrainian side they change the decision of the fight for the victory of Lomachenko unprecedented.
In London, Lomachenko gets his second Olympic gold medal and agrees to participate in the third season of the semi-professional league, the World Series of Boxing, where he reaches the finals with the team "Ukrainian Atamans". As a result, "atamans" become silver medalists, losing to the Kazakh team "Astana Arlans".
In the summer of 2013, Lomachenko signs a professional contract with Top Rank and in October he makes his debut fight, which is scheduled for 10 rounds and at stake of which is one of the secondary titles.
In his second fight in the pro ring, Lomachenko attempts to win his first featherweight title and faces Orlando Salido, but loses by split decision.
Lomachenko next fights for the vacant title against Gary Russell and becomes champion in his third fight, winning on points.
In his seventh fight, Lomachenko moves up to featherweight, where he scores an early victory over Rocky Martinez and becomes the world champion in the second weight class.
In his twelfth fight, Lomachenko moves up to the lightweight division, where he faces reigning champion Jorge Linares. In the sixth round, Vasily is knocked out for the first time in his professional career, but in the eleventh round he wins an early victory and becomes the world champion in his third weight class.
Currently, Lomachenko is among the best boxers in the world regardless of weight classes. For his lightweight unification bout against Jose Pedraza, according to the local Sports Commission, Lomachenko's fee was $1 million. Unofficially, the Ukrainian had to earn twice as much.
Vasily Lomachenko is married, raising a son Anatoly and daughter Victoria. Between fights Lomachenko continues to live in his native Belgorod-Dnistrovskiy and goes to the training camp in the United States only for the final stage of preparation to the fights.
Lomachenko's father, Anatoly Nikolaevich, continues to be the head coach of Lomachenko, and Russ Anber is the catman. Lomachenko's team also includes a psychologist, Andrei Kolosov.
Vasiliy is a koumate of another Olympic champion and current undisputed professional world champion Alexander Usik.
Vasiliy Lomachenko'sofficial website, twitter, instagram.
Former world champion in three weight categories Vasyl Lomachenko admitted that the defeat from Teofimo Lopez helped him come to God.
"After the defeat from Teofimo Lopez then it seemed that I lost, but actually at that moment I won. At that moment I recognized god. That basically changed my whole life.
My goal now is not to be a champion. My goal is to become a better person, to be an absolute champion in life. Right now I'm very happy because I started to realize a lot of things that I didn't realize before the defeat. And speaking of defeats, I don't lose. I win when I lose," - said Lomachenko.
Recall that in 2020 Lomachenko lost to Lopez by unanimous decision of judges in a fight for the title of absolute world champion in lightweight.
Ukrainian super-heavyweight prospect Vladyslav Sirenko said whether his attitude to his famous compatriot Vasyl Lomachenko has changed in connection with his silence about the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
- Of course it has changed. Because when a person is silent, you do not know how he feels about it, and he, as a media person who is a leader of opinions of many Ukrainians, should be one of the first to express his position on the war in his homeland.
But he has not done that, unfortunately. Therefore, many people may have a lot of unnecessary opinions, including me. I have a negative attitude towards this moment.
- What would you say to him when you met him?
- Nothing. I wouldn't talk to him, I guess. That's all.
- Will Ukrainians forgive Lomachenko for this silence and will they cheer for the boxer in the fight with Kambososos?
- It is very difficult to answer specifically for all Ukrainians, but I think that some will forgive, and some will not. Here is a very abstract question. Personally for me, since he still represents Ukraine, I would like it to have a positive impact for our country. Of course, I would support Lomachenko. However, I don't watch his fights after I stopped understanding his position on the war in Ukraine.
Former world champion in three weight categories Vasyl Lomachenko said that with age potential opponents became less afraid of him.
Australian boxer George Kambosos Jr. has openly expressed doubts about Ukrainian fighter Vasiliy Lomachenko's resolve ahead of their scheduled bout on May 12, 2023, at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The fight, which will be broadcasted on ESPN in the U.S., is set for the vacant IBF Lightweight Title. Kambosos highlighted Lomachenko's perceived lack of "dog" or fighting spirit as a pivotal advantage for himself.
Famous Ukrainian boxing veteran Taras Shelestyuk, following Oleksandr Hvozdyk, condemned former world champion in three weight categories compatriot Vasyl Lomachenko, who never made a single coherent statement regarding the criminal invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
"I am doing my best, although I have much less influence than Lomachenko. I don't know why Vasyl doesn't want to support Ukraine more actively. It's hard to understand him.
I think he's been brainwashed. Lomachenko should study the history of Ukraine. It seems to me that since he has been boxing since he was a kid, he hasn't studied. It's easy to manipulate people who have no knowledge of history. The Russian church seems to be doing that to him. I think he needs to study the history of Ukraine, and then he will understand what is happening and why Ukraine is an independent and separate country from Russia," The Sunday Long Read quotes Shelestyuk as saying.
Recall that on May 12 in Perth, Australia, Lomachenko will fight for the vacant IBF lightweight title with George Kambososos.
Vasyl Lomachenko's record currently stands at 17 wins, 3 loses and 0 draw.
Vasyl Lomachenko's last fight took place against Devin Haney on May 20, 2023, in Las Vegas, USA. He lost by UD in the 12 round. That fight was 11 months and 19 days ago.
Lomachenko's last 3 fights have come over a period of 1 year, 5 months and 9 days, meaning he has been fighting on average every 5 months and 22 days. In those fights, he fought a total of 36 rounds, meaning that they have lasted 12 rounds on average.
Lomachenko was born in Ukraine.
The Vasyl Lomachenko is currently 36 years old. He was born on Feb. 17, 1988, so he will turn 37 in 9 months and 8 days.
Vasyl Lomachenko made his professional debut in October 2013, so he has been a pro for 10 years.
Lomachenko is 5' 6" (5 Foot and 6 inch) which is 170 cm (1 meter and 70 centimeters).
His reach is 65 inches (65") which is 166 cm (1 meter and 66 centimeters).
Lomachenko fights from a southpaw, which means he favours his left hand as his power hand when fighting.
