Vasiliy Lomachenko Explains Retirement: 'I Lost Motivation After Haney'

Vasiliy Lomachenko says his final walk to the ring happened last May in Perth and he knew it. After dismantling George Kambosos Jr. over 11 one-sided rounds to claim the IBF lightweight title, the Ukrainian master chose silence over a victory lap. Now 37, Lomachenko says the decision to retire was easy because the fire that fueled him becoming undisputed had already gone out.

Lomachenko’s north star was the undisputed crown. That path ended, in his view, the night he dropped a razor-close decision to Devin Haney in May 2023.

“It was not difficult because I lost motivation,” Lomachenko told Fight News. “My motivation was to become undisputed world champion. When I lost to Haney, it was my last chance.”

Even a brilliant return stopping Kambosos to lift the IBF belt couldn’t restore the spark. The belt was an achievement; the mission remained unfinished.

Turning down the blockbusters

In the months that followed, the offers were real and massive: Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Shakur Stevenson both angled for superfights. The legend declined. His mind was already made up.

“It doesn’t make sense to talk about it,” he said. “I took one more belt. I’m finished with boxing.”

Legacy, intact

Lomachenko steps away with a résumé that reshaped expectations for smaller fighters:

• Two-time Olympic gold medalist, three-division world champion

• A 396-1 amateur record, record-fast world titles as a pro

• Footwork and angle creation that became the gold standard for a generation

For a fighter who always measured himself by the biggest possible goal, “undisputed or bust” wasn’t just a slogan—it was the fuel. When that ran out, so did his time in the ring.