Boxing

Oleksandr Usyk Sends Heartfelt Retirement Message To Vasiliy Lomachenko

Oleksandr Usyk reacts to Vasiliy Lomachenko's retirement.
Apratim Banerjee|
IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Vasiliy Lomachenko recently announced his retirement from boxing at the age of 37. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Lomachenko had a historic career inside the ring.

As an amateur, he amassed an exceptional 396-1 record. The Ukrainian won gold medals in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics before eventually turning pro, where he won world titles in three weight classes and walked away with a record of 18-3-0, with 12 knockouts.

Inside the ring, he was a menace, often leaving opponents bamboozled with his fluidity and movement. Lomachenko is a true icon of the sport and well-wishes have been pouring since his decision to hang up the gloves last week.

Manny Pacquiao reacts to Vasiliy Lomachenko's retirement
IMAGO / AAP

Oleksandr Usyk has now sent a heartfelt retirement message to his compatriot, writing on Instagram:

Thank you for your journey, your dedication, and your greatness.

You are one of the greatest athletes the world of sport has ever seen. Not just in boxing — in sport, period.

Usyk added:

Your amateur legacy is unmatched. Two Olympic gold medals. Nearly 400 wins. A master of movement, timing, and precision.

And in the professional ring, you made history again — becoming a world champion in three divisions, doing what many thought was impossible, and doing it with style, class, and intelligence.

He concluded:

You inspired millions. You changed the game. You set a new standard.

I am proud to call you my friend, my teammate, my brother.

Your legacy will live on for many, many years. In the hearts of fighters. In the minds of fans. In the history books of boxing.

Congratulations on a legendary career.

Lomachenko fought only world championship calibre opponents throughout his professional career. His last outing was on May 2024, where he knocked out George Kambosos Jr to win the vacant IBF lightweight title.

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Apratim Banerjee
APRATIM BANERJEE

Apratim is a Boxing and Soccer reporter for On SI. He has been in the industry for five years, having also worked for The Sporting News, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, and more. After coming from an engineering background, he started pursuing a career in sports media. Apratim also holds an MSc. Sport Marketing degree from Loughborough University London and is a keen practitioner of social media and digital marketing. In his spare time, Apratim likes to play an array of sports and practice calisthenics. He is also an avid enthusiast of improving his martial arts skills.