Vasiliy Lomachenko has officially called time on his incredible boxing career. The news came via his long-time promoter Bob Arum, who announced Lomachenko’s retirement during a press conference in Las Vegas. In his statement, Lomachenko expressed gratitude for everything the sport had given him and said he was stepping away to focus on his family and life beyond the ring.

He leaves the sport while still at the top. At 36 years old, Lomachenko was the reigning IBF lightweight champion, having recently dismantled George Kambosos Jr. in a masterclass performance. He finishes his professional career with a record of 18 wins and just 3 losses. His defeats came against seasoned fighters—Orlando Salido in only his second pro bout, Teofimo Lopez in a unification clash, and Devin Haney in a controversial decision that many felt Lomachenko had edged. The Ukrainian’s professional record, though impressive, only hints at his incredible legacy, as many regard him as the greatest amateur boxer ever. Bob Arum once remarked, “No amateur boxer ever dominated his peers quite like Lomachenko.” His amateur excellence was epitomized by winning two Olympic gold medals, which were the crowning achievements of a jaw-dropping amateur career that had already stunned the boxing world.

Vasiliy Lomachenko’s Amateur Record

Lomachenko’s amateur resume is the stuff of legend: 396 wins and just one loss. That’s not a typo. Over nearly 400 fights, he was almost untouchable. Along the way, he racked up victories against names that would later shine in the pro ranks—guys like Denys Berinchyk, Robson Conceicao, Souleymane Cissokho, and Oscar Valdez.

His career was loaded with gold—literally. He won Olympic gold twice: first in Beijing 2008 (featherweight), then again in London 2012 (lightweight). He also claimed world championship titles in both 2009 and 2011, becoming world champion in two weight classes as an amateur. His style combined lightning-fast footwork, pinpoint accuracy, and unmatched ring IQ. Lomachenko would often pile up points so quickly that opponents found themselves overwhelmed within the first round.

Beyond the Olympics and World Championships, Lomachenko also won gold at the European Championships and other major amateur tournaments. His success helped put Ukraine on the modern boxing map, and he became a national hero even before turning professional. What made his amateur dominance so extraordinary was not just the number of wins, but the level of competition he faced and the emphatic nature of his victories. Very few fights were even close.

The Only Loss of Lomachenko’s Amateur Career

So who was the one guy who managed to beat him? That would be Albert Selimov. In 2007, at the AIBA World Championships in Chicago, Selimov—originally from Dagestan, Russia, though he later competed for Azerbaijan—got the better of Lomachenko in a tactical, back-and-forth battle. The judges scored it 16-11, and a young Lomachenko was left in tears.

Selimov was no slouch—he was the reigning European champion and a highly technical southpaw. His ability to pick shots off the back foot and neutralize Lomachenko’s pressure gave him the edge that night. Lomachenko had won five straight fights in the tournament before reaching the final, defeating names like Abner Cotto and Arturo Santos Reyes.

But Loma is not one to leave scores unsettled. The very next year, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he met Selimov again and dominated him, winning 14-7. It was a clear, clinical performance that showed how quickly Lomachenko could learn and adapt. Then in 2013, just before turning pro, the two faced off one final time in the World Series of Boxing. Lomachenko won a close split decision to seal the trilogy in his favor.

That loss in 2007 turned out to be a spark, not a setback. It added another layer to his myth—because not only did Vasiliy Lomachenko nearly go undefeated, he made sure to set the record straight before stepping onto the pro stage. And that, among many reasons, is why he’s considered the greatest amateur boxer of all time.