Vasiliy Lomachenko has officially committed to a multi-year promotional agreement at the age of 38, signaling a dramatic return to the sport as the Ukrainian boxing legend prepares to chase the one major achievement that has continuously eluded him throughout his illustrious professional career: becoming the undisputed world champion.
The three-division world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist has signed a fresh co-promotional agreement with longtime partner Top Rank through his newly established promotional vehicle, Loma Power Promotions. With ink dry on the contract, his highly anticipated comeback to the squared circle is officially scheduled for early 2027. Lomachenko is set to turn 39 in February, meaning this new promotional commitment will stretch deep into the year he turns 40 should the partnership run its full course.
Lomachenko’s Multi-Year Deal and Return to Top Rank
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, who has successfully guided Lomachenko’s career since his professional debut back in 2013, welcomed the surprising yet celebrated agreement with open arms.
"Vasiliy is one of the most gifted fighters I’ve ever promoted, and I’m delighted he’s returning to the ring," said Arum, reflecting on a professional relationship that spans well over a decade. "He’s accomplished so much in this sport, but he’s determined to become undisputed. There’s tremendous talent right now at super featherweight, and we’re looking forward to working with Loma Power Promotions to put on some terrific fights for the fans."
Rather than resuming his career in the lightweight division where he spent his most recent campaign, Lomachenko will return to the super featherweight weight class—a division where he previously held the prestigious WBO world championship. Industry insiders understand that "The Matrix" is already close to finalizing a contract for a high-stakes January 13 comeback bout against Charly Suarez. A calculated and aggressive push for world titles is expected to follow swiftly in customary Loma style.
Lomachenko candidly admitted that his decision to return came as a shock even to him, having previously maintained a firm belief that his elite fighting days were firmly behind him.
"God works in mysterious ways," Lomachenko reflected. "I thought I would never step back into the ring again as a professional boxer. But our Lord Jesus Christ had other plans for me. I’m happy to be living this boxing life once again. I’m grateful to everyone who
is once again part of this journey."
The Ukrainian icon also reserved special praise for his longtime manager, Egis Klimas, whose unwavering faith ultimately breathed new life into the champion’s career.
"Special respect and gratitude to Egis, who, despite my firm belief that my boxing career was over, never stopped believing that we would step into the ring again," Lomachenko said. "He put in a tremendous amount of work and effort to get us back in the race."
Unfinished Business at 38
Manager Egis Klimas echoed those sentiments, expressing absolute delight at his fighter’s reversal of retirement and the renewed quest for boxing immortality.
"I’m so happy Vasiliy has decided to return to the ring," Klimas stated. "He still has unfinished business and a dream that means so much to him: becoming the undisputed champion. I’ve never stopped believing in him, and I’m proud to stand beside him as he gives to that dream everything he has, and I strongly believe his comeback will bring tremendous joy to his team and, most of all, to his fans."
To understand the magnitude of Lomachenko’s quest, one must look back at a legendary combat sports resume. Lomachenko compiled a staggering, almost unbelievable 396-1 amateur record while representing Ukraine on the international stage. Along the way, he captured back-to-back Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2012 London Games, supplemented by two stellar World Championship gold medals.
His transition to the professional ranks was equally unprecedented. Lomachenko captured his first professional world championship in just his third fight—a blistering pace that stunned the boxing world. By his twelfth professional appearance, he had already collected world titles across three distinct weight classes: featherweight, super featherweight, and lightweight.
A defining moment of his professional career arrived in May 2018, when he delivered a masterclass stoppage victory over Jorge Linares to officially cement his status as a three-division world champion. Yet, despite his laundry list of accolades against elite opposition, the elusive undisputed lightweight championship slipped through his fingers in May 2023 when he dropped a controversial decision to Devin Haney in Las Vegas.
Refusing to let that setback define the twilight of his career, Lomachenko bounced back brilliantly in May 2024, stopping George Kambosos Jr. to capture the IBF lightweight world title. Following that triumphant night, he stepped away from the sport, announcing his retirement and leaving fans to wonder if his chapter had closed for good. Now, over two years removed from that ring appearance, the hunger for undisputed status has drawn him back into the fire.
The Road to Undisputed
Returning to the super featherweight division introduces a fresh landscape of formidable challenges. Talented champions and contenders, such as O’Shaquie Foster, populate a vibrant weight class filled with hungry younger athletes looking to make a name off a legend.
At nearly 39 years of age, Lomachenko faces the ultimate test of father time. He must prove that his supernatural reflexes, lateral movement, and ring IQ remain untouched despite an absence stretching back to May 2024. Throughout his career, Lomachenko has never managed to hold all four major sanctioning body world titles simultaneously.
Whether his seasoned body can match the immense ambition of his mind after more than two years outside the ring remains to be seen. However, as "The Matrix" laces up his gloves once more under the banner of Loma Power Promotions and Top Rank, the final chapter of his remarkable career is shaping up to be one of the most compelling storylines in modern boxing.
