Vasiliy Lomachenko facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vasiliy Lomachenko Василь Ломаченко
Lomachenko in 2012
Statistics
Nickname(s)	The Matrix Hi-Tech Loma
Rated at	Featherweight Super featherweight Lightweight
Height	5 ft 7 in
Reach	65+1/2 in
Born	(1988-02-17) 17 February 1988 (age 37) Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union (now Ukraine)
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	21
Wins	18
Wins by KO	12
Losses	3
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  Ukraine Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Featherweight Gold 2012 London Lightweight World Championships Gold 2009 Milan Featherweight Gold 2011 Baku Lightweight Silver 2007 Chicago Featherweight European Championships Gold 2008 Liverpool Featherweight Junior World Championships Gold 2006 Agadir Flyweight Cadet European Championships Gold 2004 Saratov Atomweight

Vasiliy Lomachenko (born February 17, 1988) is a famous Ukrainian boxer. He competed as a professional boxer from 2013 to 2024. He is known for winning world championships in three different weight classes: featherweight, super featherweight, and lightweight.

Lomachenko is considered one of the best amateur boxers ever. He had an amazing record of 396 wins and only 1 loss! He won two gold medals at the Olympic Games (in 2008 and 2012) and two gold medals at the World Championships (in 2009 and 2011).

When he became a professional boxer in 2013, he quickly made history. He won a world title in only his third professional fight, which was a record at the time. People know him for his incredible speed, precise punches, creative moves, and excellent footwork. He won many awards throughout his career, including "Fighter of the Year" in 2017. Lomachenko announced his retirement from professional boxing in June 2025.

Early Life and Training

Vasiliy Lomachenko was coached by his father, Anatoly Lomachenko, from a very young age. Vasiliy has said that if his father hadn't been a boxing coach, he might have become a professional ice hockey player instead.

Interestingly, his father made him take traditional Ukrainian dance classes before he started boxing training. After that, he also did gymnastics before finally stepping into the boxing ring. This unique training helped him develop his amazing footwork and balance.

Amateur Boxing Success

Lomachenko had an incredible amateur boxing career. He won many major tournaments and championships.

First Big Wins

In 2007, he won a silver medal at the World Championships in Chicago. This was his only loss in his entire amateur career. He lost to Albert Selimov from Russia in the final.

The next year, in 2008, Lomachenko won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing. He beat his opponents by a huge margin, showing how skilled he was. He was even named the best boxer of the tournament and received the Val Barker Trophy. That same year, he also won gold at the European Championships.

Becoming a Two-Weight Champion

Lomachenko continued his winning streak at the 2009 World Championships in Milan, where he won another gold medal. In 2011, he moved up to the lightweight division and won his second straight gold medal at the World Championships in Baku. This made him a world champion in two different weight classes.

At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, he won his second consecutive Olympic gold medal. This made him one of the few boxers to win Olympic gold in two different weight classes. He defeated Han Soon-Chul from South Korea in the final. His amateur career ended with an impressive record of 396 wins and only 1 loss.

Professional Boxing Journey

After his amazing amateur career, Lomachenko decided to become a professional boxer. He signed with Top Rank, a well-known boxing promoter.

Featherweight Champion

Lomachenko made his professional debut in October 2013 in the United States. He won his first fight by knockout. In his second professional fight, he tried to win a world championship, which would have been a new record. He fought Orlando Salido for the WBO featherweight title. Salido did not make the weight limit, so the title was vacant. Lomachenko lost this fight by a close decision. He learned a lot from this experience.

Just a few months later, in June 2014, Lomachenko fought Gary Russell Jr. for the vacant WBO featherweight title. He won this fight by a majority decision, becoming a world champion in only his third professional fight. This tied the record for the fastest boxer to win a world title.

He successfully defended his featherweight title several times. He beat Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo, Gamalier Rodríguez, and Romulo Koasicha. In one of these fights, he even injured his hand but still won.

Moving Up to Junior Lightweight

In 2016, Lomachenko decided to move up to the junior lightweight division. He challenged Román Martínez for his WBO title. Lomachenko won by knockout in the fifth round, becoming the fastest boxer to win world titles in two different weight divisions.

He then defended this title against Nicholas Walters in November 2016. Lomachenko dominated the fight, and Walters decided to stop fighting after the seventh round. This was a big win for Lomachenko, and he earned his first $1 million prize.

He continued to defend his junior lightweight title, beating Jason Sosa in April 2017 and Miguel Marriaga in August 2017. Both opponents stopped fighting during the match because Lomachenko was too dominant.

Big Fight Against Rigondeaux

In December 2017, Lomachenko had a highly anticipated fight against Guillermo Rigondeaux. Rigondeaux was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a very successful amateur boxer. Lomachenko won the fight after Rigondeaux retired from the match after the sixth round, saying he had injured his hand. This was Lomachenko's fourth opponent in a row to stop fighting during a match.

Becoming a Lightweight Champion

In 2018, Lomachenko moved up to the lightweight division. He fought Jorge Linares for the WBA (Super) and The Ring lightweight titles. Lomachenko was knocked down in the sixth round but recovered and won by TKO in the tenth round with a powerful body shot. This made him the fastest fighter ever to win titles in three different weight classes, achieving it in just 12 professional fights.

Later that year, in December 2018, Lomachenko unified titles by beating José Pedraza. He won by unanimous decision, keeping his WBA (Super) and The Ring titles and adding Pedraza's WBO lightweight title.

In April 2019, Lomachenko defended his titles against Anthony Crolla. He won by knockout in the fourth round, showing his incredible skill and power.

Unifying Titles and a Tough Loss

In August 2019, Lomachenko faced Luke Campbell, another Olympic gold medalist, in London. Lomachenko won by unanimous decision, adding the vacant WBC lightweight title to his collection. This meant he held three major lightweight titles.

In October 2020, Lomachenko fought Teófimo López in a big unification fight. López was the undefeated IBF lightweight champion. Lomachenko suffered his second professional defeat, losing by unanimous decision. This was a tough loss for him, and he later had surgery on his right shoulder.

Comeback and Final Title

After his loss, Lomachenko made a strong comeback. In June 2021, he defeated Masayoshi Nakatani by technical knockout. In December 2021, he beat Richard Commey by unanimous decision, showing he was still a top contender.

In 2022, Lomachenko returned to Ukraine to help his country during a difficult time. He was given permission to leave to fight for a world title, but he chose to stay and support his homeland. He returned to the ring in October 2022, winning a unanimous decision against Jamaine Ortiz.

In May 2023, Lomachenko fought Devin Haney for the undisputed lightweight championship. It was a very close and exciting fight. Lomachenko lost by unanimous decision, but many people felt he had done enough to win. Despite the loss, his performance was highly praised.

In May 2024, Lomachenko fought George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF lightweight title in Australia. Lomachenko put on a dominant performance, winning by TKO in the 11th round. With this win, he had now won a world title from all four major boxing organizations.

Retirement

After a long and successful career, Vasiliy Lomachenko officially announced his retirement from professional boxing on June 5, 2025. He shared a video where he thanked his family, especially his father and coach, for their support. He ended his professional career with 18 wins and 3 losses, with 17 of his fights being for world titles.

Personal Life

Vasiliy Lomachenko is married to Olena, and they have two children. He lives in California, USA, and trains there, but his home country is Ukraine. The tattoo on his chest is a picture of his father, Anatoly Lomachenko.

During a difficult time for Ukraine in 2022, Lomachenko joined the territorial defense battalion in his hometown to help protect his country. He showed great courage and dedication.

Fighting Style

Lomachenko is famous for his unique and exciting fighting style. He is known for his amazing footwork, which allows him to move around the ring very quickly and effectively. He also has excellent head movement, making it hard for opponents to hit him.

He can switch his stance (from left-handed to right-handed) easily, which confuses his opponents. His punches are fast and accurate, and he can throw them from unusual angles. Some of his boxing heroes include Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Roy Jones Jr.

Professional Boxing Record

Boxing Titles and Awards

Vasiliy Lomachenko has won many important titles and awards throughout his career.

Major World Titles

• WBO featherweight champion
• WBO super featherweight champion
• WBA (Super) lightweight champion
• WBC lightweight champion
• IBF lightweight champion
• WBO lightweight champion

The Ring Magazine Titles

• The Ring lightweight champion

Other Titles

• WBO International featherweight champion
• WBO Inter-Continental lightweight champion

Honorary Titles

• WBC Franchise lightweight champion
• WBA Man of Triumph Gold champion
• WBO Super Champion

Boxing Awards

• Val Barker Trophy: 2008
• The Ring magazine Prospect of the Year: 2013
• The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year: 2017
• Sugar Ray Robinson Award: 2017
• Las Vegas Review-Journal Fighter of the Year: 2017
• El Paso Times Fighter of the Year: 2017
• WBO Fighter of the Year: 2019
• CBS Sports Fighter of the Year: 2016
• HBO Sports Fighter of the Year: 2016, 2017
• WBN Fighter of the Year: 2016
• WBN Stoppage of the Year: 2016
• WBN Pound for Pound Breakthrough: 2016
• WBN World Title Prospect of 2014: 2013
• ESPN Prospect of the Year: 2013
• Yahoo Sports Prospect of the Year: 2013
• WBA Fight of the Year: 2018
• BWAA John McCain-Bill Crawford Courage Award: 2022

Images for kids

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  Lomachenko in 2012

See also

In Spanish: Vasyl Lomachenko para niños