KIEV: Vasiliy Lomachenko, a three-division world champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and arguably the greatest amateur boxer in history, announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37.

“I’m grateful for every victory and every defeat both in the ring and in life,” the Ukrainian said in a video on Instagram Thursday morning. “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 posted a professional record of 18-3 with 12 knockouts. He won a total of six major world championships while competing in the featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight divisions.

He last fought nearly one year ago, recording a TKO in the 11th round against former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in Perth, Australia.

Lomachenko won gold at both the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics at featherweight and lightweight, respectively. He sported a sterling 396-1 record as an amateur.

“To my family, you have always stood by me. You shared in my victories, and you felt the pain of my losses. Those losses only made us stronger,” Lomachenko said.

“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.”

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2025