Vasiliy Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) will reportedly make his return to professional boxing in February.
Following a conversation with Bob Arum, Dan Rafael reports that the Ukrainian has signed a deal with Top Rank. It will apparently see Lomachenko make his ring return against Charly Suarez (19-0, 11 KOs, 1 NC). Should the three division world champion emerge victorious, a bout against O’Shaquie Foster, the reigning WBC, WBO, and IBF super featherweight world champion, could happen.
“Spoke at length with [Arum] & he said [Top Rank] is doing new deal with [Lomachenko] and [he] will return in Feb. and fight Charly Suarez and if he wins probable fight with Foster for the title,” wrote Rafael in a post to X.
The Big Fight Weekend verdict on Vasiliy Lomachenko’s return
Lomachenko had his last professional boxing bout in Australia in May of 2024. It saw him defeat George Kambosos Jr. via eleventh round technical knockout to become the IBF lightweight world champion. The Ukrainian announced via social media last year that he was stepping away from the sport for good, but it now appears that he wants to make one last run in boxing. There were reports earlier this year that he would return in the fall, but Rafael now reports that it will happen in February next year.
An official fight announcement has yet to happen for Lomachenko vs. Suarez. The Filipino is one of the better super featherweights in the world and will provide a genuine litmus test of the Ukrainian. In February, Lomachenko turns 39 and will be fighting for the first time in nearly three years. What he has left in the tank remains to be seen.
Lomachenko was present at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, TX, when Foster defeated Emanuel Navarrete. Check out the interview Todd Grisham and Chris Mannix did with him on the night. Video courtesy of Top Rank.
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Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images