If Vasiliy Lomachenko makes a comeback, who could ...
Key takeaways
- There will be questions surrounding whether Lomachenko, 38, can still compete at a high level.
- Assuming that he fights somewhere between 130-140 pounds, we take a look at some potential options for Lomachenko's comeback fight.
- Shakur Stevenson, left, dominated Teofimo Lopez Jr. to become a four-division world champion in February.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is looking to return to boxing later this year. Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images Andreas Hale May 14, 2026, 11:24 AM ETClose Andreas Hale is a combat sports reporter at ESPN. Andreas covers MMA, boxing and pro wrestling. In Andreas' free time, he plays video games, obsesses over music and is a White Sox and 49ers fan. He is also a host for Sirius XM's Fight Nation. Before joining ESPN, Andreas was a senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News. He started his career as a music journalist for outlets including HipHopDX, The Grammys and Jay-Z's Life+Times. He is also an NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker as a producer for the animated short film "Bridges" in 2024.Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsVasiliy Lomachenko has plans to come out of retirement and return to boxing later this year, according to his longtime manager, Egis Klimas. The three-division champion and mainstay on boxing's pound-for-pound lists is targeting a fight this fall, but what kind of matchup is he looking for in his return? When he reenters the fray, Lomachenko will do so as a promotional free agent, which will offer him the freedom to secure a big fight with almost any fighter. And considering that Lomachenko fought for a world title in only his second professional fight, a tuneup fight doesn't seem realistic.
There will be questions surrounding whether Lomachenko, 38, can still compete at a high level. He was brilliant in stopping George Kambosos Jr. in an 11th-round TKO victory in May 2024, his last professional fight. But lingering back issues and what seemed like an overall lack of desire pushed him into announcing his retirement last June.
Assuming that he fights somewhere between 130-140 pounds, we take a look at some potential options for Lomachenko's comeback fight.