“I would like to say this, Vasyl Lomachenko is technically the best fighter that I have seen since the early Muhammad Ali.” Those were the words of Bob Arum years ago. While few doubted Vasyl Lomachenko’ s extraordinary talent, the Ali comparison felt far-fetched to many. Now, a dozen years into his professional career, the Ukrainian maestro is stepping away from the sport, much sooner than most expected. A three-weight world champion in just 12 fights, Lomachenko last fought in May 2024, when he captured the IBF lightweight title with a dominant win over former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. As fans eagerly awaited news about his next bout, they were instead met with the unexpected announcement of his retirement.

There had been whispers of a potential super-fight

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