Ukrainian Boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko pulls out of high stakes world title fight to keep fighting with army
- Ukrainian boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko has pulled out of an upcoming world title fight, per ESPN.
- Lomachenko flew back to Ukraine in late February to fight with the army after Russia's invasion began.
Ukrainian boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko has pulled out of a world lightweight title fight, choosing instead to remain in Ukraine and fight against Russia with the Ukrainian army, according to ESPN.
In late February, Lomachenko as well as active Ukrainian heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and former boxers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko all took up arms against Russia.
Lomachenko, a three-weight world champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and one of the world's best boxers, joined a territorial defense battalion on February 28, flying from Greece to his hometown of Odesa to join the fight and be near family.
Lomachenko was set to fight Australia's George Kambosos Jr., who currently holds the most major lightweight titles, following his upset victory over Teofimo Lopez in November 2021.
"@VasylLomachenko I respect your decision and I totally understand and I pray for you and your country," Kambosos tweeted on Monday. "please stay safe and once i wipe the floor with Devin [Haney], we will make this fight between two real champions. God bless."
Usyk and the Klitschko brothers joined various Kyiv territorial defense battalions and have appealed to Russia to stop the war.
Usyk's next fight, which was set to be a rematch against British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua following Usyk's victory in September, also hangs in the balance as he has opted to stay in Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Usyk was cleared to leave Ukraine to take part in preparations for the potential summer rematch, but he has not made a decision.
On February 24, Russia launched a military assault on neighboring Ukraine, and in the weeks since, Russian forces have launched attacks on civilian targets and recently bombed a maternity ward, and killed journalists.