**Vasiliy Lomachenko Announces Retirement at 37, Ending Legendary Boxing Career**

Vasiliy Lomachenko, the Ukrainian boxing prodigy, has laid down his gloves, ending his illustrious career at the age of 37. Renowned as one of the greatest amateurs in boxing history, Lomachenko transitioned seamlessly into the professional arena, where he clinched titles across three weight divisions.

In a heartfelt video posted on social media Thursday, Lomachenko reflected on his journey. “I’m grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,” he shared. “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.”

Lomachenko's last fight was an 11th-round TKO victory over former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, which took place just over a year ago. Though discussions about a major bout with Gervonta "Tank" Davis were ongoing, Lomachenko ultimately took the rest of 2024 off to consider his future. His manager, Egis Klimas, revealed that Lomachenko "didn't have the motivation" to return.

As an amateur, Lomachenko built a staggering record of 396-1 and captured Olympic gold medals for Ukraine at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. He turned professional by signing with Top Rank Promotions and made an explosive debut on Oct. 12, 2013, by knocking out Jose Ramirez in the fourth round. His audacious rise continued with a world title opportunity in just his second pro fight against WBO featherweight champion Orlando Salido. Although he narrowly lost, Lomachenko secured the WBO championship in his third bout by defeating Gary Russell Jr. on June 21, 2014.

Lomachenko, known as "Hi-Tech," defended his featherweight title three times before ascending to junior lightweight. There, he captured the WBO title in 2016 by defeating Roman Martinez and went on to dominate opponents like Nicholas Walters and Guillermo Rigondeaux, the latter being a highly anticipated clash of Olympic gold medalists, which saw Rigondeaux retire on his stool.

Steadily climbing the pound-for-pound rankings, Lomachenko moved to lightweight, where he won the WBO title from Jorge Linares in 2018 and unified the division by overcoming Jose Pedraza, Anthony Crolla, and Luke Campbell. Despite a setback against Teofimo Lopez in 2020, Lomachenko rebounded with three consecutive wins. He finished his professional career with a record of 18-3, his last bout being a contentious decision loss to Devin Haney in 2023.

"To my family, you have always stood by me. You shared in my victories, and you felt the pain of my losses," Lomachenko reflected. "I would be remiss not to thank you, my dear boxing fans from around the world. You have always supported me with passion through my most unforgettable fights."

Lomachenko's legacy is etched not only in his numerous titles and victories but also in the hearts of boxing enthusiasts worldwide.