Latest news with #Lomachenko
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Galal Yafai vs. Francisco Rodriguez Jr. preview: 'Great fight for the fans, not so good for myself'
The saying goes that comparison is the thief of joy, but you wouldn't know that from the look on Galal Yafai's face this week. The fresh-faced, beaming 32-year-old looked relaxed and composed at his final press conference on Thursday afternoon, edging closer to his 10th outing in a fast-moving professional boxing career. On Saturday night, live on DAZN, Yafai (9-0, 7 KOs) defends his WBC interim flyweight title against the experienced Mexican Francisco Rodriguez Jr. (39-6-1, 27 KOs) in front of a home Birmingham crowd. He does so while eyeing the next step in writing his own history as a fully-fledged world champion. Advertisement Since winning gold at the 2020 Olympic Games, Yafai has been compared to a litany of others in the sport. That list includes his older brothers Kal and Gamal, the stylistic technician that was the now-retired Vasyl Lomachenko, as well as fellow British Olympic gold medalists turned world champions Anthony Joshua and James DeGale. You could argue, easily, that it's a humbling group of fighters to be grouped with, but Yafai seems uninterested in such yardsticks. 'I don't want to be compared with anyone,' Yafai stated upon turning over into the pro ranks in 2022. Thrown into the relative deep end in a 10-rounder for his debut, the similarities between him and Lomachenko started, and they gained momentum when his southpaw style — accompanied by eye-catching front-footed flurries — started paying dividends against a plethora of challengers. 'I don't want to jump the gun too much and put myself in the same brackets as Lomachenko,' he claimed. 'To even be put in them brackets is so humbling, he's an unbelievable fighter that I've watched for years. Advertisement 'When I won the gold medal, I had people telling me I've joined greats who aren't even from Great Britain like Oscar De La Hoya, Pernell Whittaker, Muhammad Ali and all these fighters who have won Olympic gold. I'm not as good as them, but one thing we've all got in common is we're all Olympic champions and that's one thing that will live with me forever.' Fast-forward three years and Yafai is now just two fights away from becoming just the third male Briton to be crowned a world champion after winning an Olympic gold. Japanese star Kenshiro Teraji (25-1, 16 KOs) holds the full title at 112 pounds, and Yafai is targeting a return later this year to Japan — the site of his Olympic triumph — to challenge the champion monikered 'The Amazing Boy.' But Rodriguez Jr. is the man that stands in the way of Yafai and that dream, and Saturday's blend of styles suggests that we could be in for a memorable dust-up between two offensive protagonists. 'He's a great fighter, Rodriguez,' Yafai explained on Thursday. 'Anyone that knows him, he comes forward, I come forward. It should make for a great fight for the fans, not so good for myself and him. Advertisement 'Rodriguez should be my hardest fight, on paper. Let's hope it's not in reality on Saturday. I've had to fight Sunny [Edwards], who was number one with the Ring Magazine, then I've had to fight the WBC number one Rodriguez, and then I'll have to go to Japan probably and fight the pound-for-pound fighter who's got the WBC and WBA belts in Teraji. I've not had it easy, have I?' If Yafai is longing to be recognized by his own achievements in the sport, then a fire-fight victory over Rodriguez this weekend could go some way to laying those foundations. The further down the weight classes you ply your trade, the more pressure that is (unfairly) put on you to make sure you "entertain'" — and Yafai's smooth attacks crafted by heavy hands appear up to the task. He claims not to have had it the easy way, but fighters like Yafai wouldn't want it any other way.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
The Best Fighters to Come… From Ukraine
If the world has learned anything of note in the past three years, it may be that the Ukrainians are not a people to be messed with. Catch all the latest boxing action on DAZN Given what has been seen of Ukrainian bravery, fortitude, and resistance in that time, it is no surprise that the nation has given the world some tremendous boxers and fighters over the last twenty-five years. Vasyl Lomachenko, 18-3 (12) Newly retired, 'Loma' may have been the most preternaturally gifted boxer of his generation. As an amateur, he won 396 of 397 amateur fights and picked up Olympic medals in 2008 and 2012. Bizarrely, his debut fight was for a title, albeit a largely meaningless one in the form of the WBO international featherweight belt. But Lomachenko won by stoppage in four rounds, then promptly lost a split decision five months later for the WBO world featherweight title. Not to be deterred, Lomachenko won that title just three months later with a majority decision against Gary Allen Russell Jr and then went on a run of twelve victories, moving like a scythe through the likes of Anthony Crolla, Luke Campbell, Jorge Linares, and Guillermo Rigondeaux. In 2020, Lomachenko attempted to unify the world lightweight title but dropped a unanimous decision to Teofimo Lopez. He moved back to winning ways with three wins on the trot, before losing a decision to the then-undefeated Devin Haney in another world lightweight unification bout. There was, however, one last hurrah when Lomachenko went to Australia just over a year ago where he stopped George Kambosos Jr in eleven rounds. Retiring this week at the age of 37, Lomachenko said that he was moving in a new direction in life. Wladimir Klitschko, 64-5 (53) The former undisputed heavyweight king was actually born within the borders of Kazakhstan in 1976, but is proudly and firmly Ukrainian. After winning gold in the super-heavyweight division in the 1996 Olympics, the younger of the Klitschko brothers turned professional in 1996 and fought mainly in Germany before US fighter Ross Puritty stopped him in eleven rounds in Kyiv in 1998. Returning in Germany, this Klitschko steadily rebuilt, fighting across the world, until WBO champion Chris Byrd was persuaded to go to Cologne in 2000. A twelve-round decision gave Klitschko his first world title, which he then defended against the likes of Charles Shufford, 17-1; Frans Both, 44-3-1; Ray Mercer, 30-4-1; and Jameel McCline, 28-2-3. The wheels coming off with losses in the second and fifth rounds to Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster in 2003 and 2004 seemed to spell the end, but Klitschko outscored dangerman Samuel Peter before steadily collecting all the belts (apart from the WBC, which was owned by brother Vitali). A close loss to Tyson Fury in Dusseldorf in 2015 spelled the end of one of the longest heavyweight runs. But there was still some fire left – a 2017 match against Anthony Joshua, when Klitschko was 41, became a heavyweight classic and proved as good a time as any for the Ukrainian to finally retire. Vitali Klitschko, 45-2 (41) If Wladimir was the boxer, then elder brother Vitali was the fighter. Currently Mayor of Kyiv, this Klitschko was originally supposed to be Ukraine's super-heavyweight in the 1996 Olympics but lost out on a berth due to a failed drugs test. Instead, the senior Klitschko turned professional later that year and, fighting largely out of Germany like his brother, worked his way up to the European title within two years. After defending the European title twice, Klitschko went to London and knocked out the heavy-punching Herbie Hide in two rounds for the WBO title. Two defences of the WBO title followed before a shoulder injury forced Klitschko to retire after nine rounds against Chris Byrd. If Vitali's standing had been diminished by the loss to Byrd, he regained it by losing on cuts against Lennox Lewis, coming in on short notice. There was no rematch, however, as Lewis retired and Klitschko, after defeating Kirk Johnson in two rounds, slugged it out against Corrie Sanders to win the vacant WBC title. After one defence and citing injuries, Klitschko retired. Only to come back four years later, stopping Samuel Peter in eight rounds in Berlin. Reinvigorated, Klitschko made nine defences of the WBC title before retiring after a technical knockout over Mahmoud Charr. Oleksandr Usyk, 23-0 (14) Current heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is the only fighter on this list to still be undefeated, although many have tried. The problem is that there may be no heavyweight on the planet capable of doing so while only in possession of two arms. While Usyk has remained undefeated against Fury (twice), Joshua (twice), and Dubois in what has been one of the richest seams in heavyweight history, he also does so as a cruiserweight who has moved up. It is a rare occurrence, too, that Usyk fights at home in Ukraine. But this is a man who has spent the majority of his career on the road. Usyk won his first world title against the Polish Krzysztof Glowacki in Gdansk, Poland, in 2016. From there, he defended his title twice in the US, before travelling to Germany to beat Marco Huck in the inaugural World Boxing Super Series. Usyk then travelled on foreign soil three times, to beat Mairis Briedis, Murat Gassiev, and Tony Bellew on home territory before going to Chicago to beat Chazz Witherspoon in Usyk's first heavyweight fight. He then came back to the UK to beat Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua, the latter for the heavyweight titles. Decamping to Saudi Arabia, Usyk rematched Joshua – and won. Then he went to Poland to fight Daniel Dubois (the city was brimmed that night with Ukrainians – the closest to a home crowd Usyk had had in years), before returning to Riyadh to face Tyson Fury twice – winning both bouts. And in a few weeks, live and exclusive on DAZN, Usyk will face Daniel Dubois again – this time at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London. Watch the very best boxing with a DAZN subscription DAZN is the home of combat sports, broadcasting over 185 fights a year from the world's best promoters, including Matchroom, Queensberry, Golden Boy, Misfits, PFL, BKFC, GLORY and more. An Annual Saver subscription is a one-off cost of £119.99 / $224.99 (for 12 months access), that's just 64p / $1.21 per fight. There is also a Monthly Flex Pass option (cancel any time) at £24.99 / $29.99 per month.
The Independent
11-06-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
How a crazy week has shifted the lightweight division landscape drastically
In boxing, one decision can have a domino effect that changes the entire look of a division overnight. Some divisions are so delicately poised that fighters wait on the sidelines, waiting for the status quo to collapse whilst hoping things fall in place for their own personal gain. In the lightweight division, it was not just one decision that caused ripples throughout the weight class, but a crazy week has seen the entire picture at 135lbs completely change. Vasyl Lomachenko's confirmed retirement clarifies IBF landscape Vasyl Lomachenko announced his retirement from professional boxing last week, putting to bed a year of speculation regarding his future in the sweet science. Negotiations for a unification bout with WBC champion Gervonta 'Tank' Davis fizzled out last year, with the 37-year-old vague when discussing his retirement plans. Lomachenko had been on hiatus for some time, fighting just once in two years, before his year-long absence dragging on long enough for the IBF to start looking for an interim champion. Raymond Muratalla only served as interim for a month after defeating Zaur Abdullaev in May, with Lomachenko's official retirement seeing the American promoted to full champion this week. The full IBF title picture will be made fully clear by the end of this week. Prior to Lomachenko's retirement, the sanctioning body did not list a fighter at number one or two in their rankings, owning to the fact that Muratalla was effectively both champion and mandatory. This weekend, third-ranked Andy Cruz takes on the IBF's fifth-highest rated lightweight Hironori Mishiro on the undercard of Hitchins-Kambosos Jr, with the bout serving as a final eliminator for mandatory status. As such, Muratalla's first fight as full champion will likely be a defence against either Crux or Mishiro, rather than a unification bout with a divisional rival. Missing weight sees Keyshawn Davis drop out of title picture A few months ago, Keyshawn Davis was aiming to unify his WBO title with Lomachenko's IBF belt. Fast forward to June, and neither man has a belt anymore. Days after Lomachenko announced his retirement, Davis forfeited his WBO lightweight strap after missing weight by four pounds. His challenger, Edwin De Los Santos, backed out from the fight after concessions could not be made. It remains to be seen whether Davis will continue to operate at lightweight, or whether he will now make the jump to 140 pounds. Davis' failure to make weight has its consequences, both for the American, and the division at large. De Los Santos, a previous challenger for the WBC lightweight title, looks to be bypassed, with the WBO reportedly interested in pitting Abdullah Mason against Sam Noakes for the vacant belt. Noakes is number one with the organisation, with Mason ranked just behind in second. Both fighters are unbeaten with impressive knockout power, Noakes stopping 15 opponents from 17 bouts, Mason securing 17 early stoppages from 19 fights. Unification bouts seem some distance away The unification conversation at 135lbs is firmly in the future tense, with the two other lightweight champions already scheduled to make defences in their next bouts. Shakur Stevenson is next in action, the WBC champion facing the organisation's interim title holder, William Zepeda, live on DAZN July 12th in New York. WBA belt holder Gervonta 'Tank' Davis is reportedly in action the following month, facing Lamont Roach in a rematch on August 16th. Davis and Roach shared a controversial draw earlier this year, outraging stemming from Tank taking a knee that was not declared a knockdown. The division has not been completely unified since Devin Haney defeated George Kambosos Jr in 2022, nor have any of the belts been unified since Haney moved up to super lightweight in 2023. It seems likely that the division will remain fractured beyond 2025, but the shaken-up status of the weight class may lend itself to unification in the not-so distant future.
USA Today
05-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Boxing great Vasiliy Lomachenko retires after more than 400 wins
Boxing great Vasiliy Lomachenko retires after more than 400 wins (This story originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports.) Two-time Olympic boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37. Lomachenko won gold for Ukraine in the featherweight division at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, and followed it up with a gold in the lightweight division at the 2012 Games in London. Widely considered to be one of the greatest amateur boxers in history, he amassed a record of 396-1 before turning pro in 2013. "I'm grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life," Lomachenko said in a video posted on Instagram Thursday. "I'm thankful that, as my career comes to an end, I've gained clarity about the direction a person must take in order to achieve true victory, not just in the ring." As a professional, Lomachenko won world titles in three different divisions, but lost a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023 in a bid to regain the undisputed world lightweight title. Known by nicknames such as "The Matrix" and "Hi-Tech," Lomachenko's final fight came in May 2024, when he stopped Australian George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round, running his professional record to 18-3.
Forbes
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Vasyl Lomachenko Announces His Retirement From Boxing
On Thursday, 37-year-old IBF lightweight champion and future Hall-of-Famer Vasyl Lomachenko officially announced his retirement from boxing. He leaves the pro ranks with an 18-3, 12 KOs record, but an amateur mark that was an unfathomable 396-1. Lomachenko will vacate the IBF strap, and the governing body will likely push for a bout to settle their title in the next few months. Loma's promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank posted a tribute to him on X. Lomachenko turned pro in 2013, and he could have elected to fight tomato cans to pad his record, but he didn't. The masterful Ukrainian southpaw went directly into world-title contention from Olympic glory in a way that we've rarely seen. After winning two Olympic golds in two different weight classes, he came to the pro ranks with hoopla and a target on his back. Loma quickly validated the hype as he tore through competition from the outset. By his third pro fight, he was a world champion at featherweight. By his seventh, he won a title in a second division. And for most of the next five years, Lomachenko made elite fighters quit—literally. 'No Más Chenko' earned his filthy nickname by making opponents like Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux, and Jason Sosa decide mid-fight that it wasn't worth continuing. Lomachenko, who was trained in classical dance to augment his footwork, was among the most graceful fighters of his era. But as dazzling as his footwork, angles, and punch selection were, the timeline was always against him for a long pro career. Lomachenko didn't turn pro until he was nearly 26. Completely aware of his timeline, he moved through divisions fast, chasing history and world titles. Unfortunately, injuries—especially to his right shoulder—began to catch up. Lomachenko's loss to Teofimo Lopez in 2020, after a year of inactivity during the pandemic, marked a turning point. He waited too long to flip the switch in that fight. The younger, bigger Lopez banked early rounds and held on to claim the victory. After that, Loma recovered and had noteworthy success, even though some of the aura was gone. He stopped Masayoshi Nakatani and defeated Richard Commey convincingly on points. He recovered from a slow start against Jamaine Ortiz to earn a win. But the big goal—undisputed lightweight glory—slipped through his fingers in a razor-close loss to Devin Haney in May 2023. Many believed he deserved the nod that night, but the judges didn't see it his way. Lomachenko rebounded again with one of his best performances in years against George Kambosos Jr., dismantling the Aussie and claiming the IBF title at 135. It was a retirement fight disguised as a bounce-back. While he didn't make the decision immediately and he entertained the thought of a fight with Gervonta Davis, that win allowed him to leave the sport with something in hand. Lomachenko's decision to step away comes with a full résumé. Two Olympic gold medals. Four world titles in three divisions. It's good to see a fighter leave the sport on his terms. If you're wondering who will fight for the vacant title, it makes sense for the winner of No. 3 Andy Cruz and No. 5 Hiroshi Mishiro to face No. 4 Mark Magsayo for the vacant title later this year.
