While statistics provide facts, they sometimes fail to capture the full story.
Vasiliy Lomachenko recently retired from boxing at the age of 37. He concludes his professional journey as a three-division world champion with an 18-3 record (12 KOs). As time passes, newer boxing enthusiasts may look at his record and wonder how a fighter with three losses in just 21 bouts can be considered among the greats, especially when modern perception often prioritizes an undefeated record, a standard notably set by Floyd Mayweather`s 50-0 finish.
However, Lomachenko distinguished himself as a unique athlete. His path through the professional ranks, after an extraordinary amateur career highlighted by two Olympic gold medals and a near-perfect 396-1 record, starkly contrasted with typical boxing progressions. Instead of gradually building his record against lesser opponents, Lomachenko immediately sought out the most significant challenges, defining his career through his ability to overcome difficult odds.
In only his second professional fight, less than five months after his debut in March 2014, Lomachenko faced the seasoned WBO featherweight champion, Orlando Salido. Lomachenko aimed to make history by becoming a world champion in just his second fight. Salido, however, had other plans. He failed to make weight and leveraged his size advantage and questionable tactics to secure a win by split decision.
Undaunted, Lomachenko adapted to the professional style and succeeded in his next title opportunity. In June 2014, he defeated the previously unbeaten Gary Russell Jr. via majority decision to claim the vacant WBO featherweight title, becoming one of only two boxers in history to become a champion in their third professional fight (joining Saensak Muangsurin).
Yet, his most remarkable phase was still to come.
After three successful defenses, Lomachenko moved up to junior lightweight. In June 2016, he stopped WBO champion Roman Martinez in five rounds, setting a new record as the fastest boxer to win world titles in two weight classes (achieving it in just seven fights). This period famously became known for the arrival of `No Mas-Chenko`.
In his subsequent four fights against a series of respected opponents — Nicholas Walters (26-0-1), Jason Sosa (20-1-4), Miguel Marriaga (25-2), and Guillermo Rigondeaux (17-0) — Lomachenko`s dominance forced each of them to quit in their corner between rounds. His exceptional footwork, precise punching, and remarkable athleticism made him seem almost untouchable during this dominant stretch, cementing his status in the pound-for-pound rankings. Against Rigondeaux, often considered the other elite amateur boxer of their era and a fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist, Lomachenko delivered a masterclass, limiting Rigondeaux to landing a mere 8% of his total punches before securing a sixth-round TKO victory.
What Lomachenko achieved in his first 11 professional fights represents accomplishments that would typically take the average boxer an entire career to attain.
And his ascent wasn`t finished.
Despite being considered undersized for the division, Lomachenko moved up to lightweight to challenge WBA champion Jorge Linares in May 2018. Although he suffered a knockdown in the sixth round, Lomachenko rallied to stop Linares with a devastating liver punch in the 10th. This victory made him the fastest fighter ever to win world titles in three weight classes (in just 12 fights), significantly surpassing Jeff Fenech`s previous record of 20 fights.
With his pound-for-pound standing confirmed, Lomachenko unified titles by defeating Jose Pedraza and Luke Campbell. However, his pursuit of undisputed status fell short against IBF champion Teofimo Lopez. After winning his next three fights, he again failed in an attempt to unify all four major lightweight belts, losing a highly controversial decision to Devin Haney. Both losses, against Haney and Lopez, came against opponents who were naturally larger and younger.
Before concluding his career, Lomachenko delivered a dominant performance against former undisputed lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in May 2024, securing an 11th-round TKO in Kambosos`s home country, Australia. At 36, unsure of his future plans and with a deep desire to be with his family in war-torn Ukraine, Lomachenko ultimately decided his time in professional boxing had ended.
While Lomachenko doesn`t retire with an unblemished record, his unwavering drive to make history and face the toughest competition from the moment he turned pro is the reason he is destined for the International Boxing Hall of Fame in just three years. For most boxers, having 21 professional fights is still considered an early stage of development.
By comparison, at the 21-fight mark, Canelo Alvarez was relatively unknown and primarily fought in Mexico. Terence Crawford had not yet won a major world title. Even Floyd Mayweather, rightfully celebrated as the greatest of his generation, had not accumulated the level of accomplishments Lomachenko did in his first 21 fights. Lomachenko`s career perfectly illustrates the importance of witnessing greatness unfold in real-time to truly appreciate it, rather than relying solely on numbers and historical records.
Ellis Thorne 
Percy Harlow