Bob Arum Says Lomachenko Has Slipped, Is In Very Tough vs. Kambosos

Many wonder how much the 36-year-old Vasiliy Lomachenko has left in the tank.

It’s been an uneven run over the last four years for the former pound-for-pound stalwart Lomachenko, especially as he’s shared sentiment that his “career is almost over” and that his preference isn’t to knock out opponents anymore due to his religious beliefs. 

It all started in 2020 when the former three-division champion lost a unanimous decision and his unified lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez Jr. 

Dominant bounce-back wins followed against Masayoshi Nakatani and Richard Commey in 2021.

The war in Ukraine beginning in February 2022 derailed Lomachenko’s plans to fight George Kambosos Jr. at the time, an opportunity that eventually fell in the lap of Devin Haney.

After joining a territorial defense in Ukraine to fend off Russia’s invasion, the two-time Olympic gold medalist got boxing-ready by October 2022 and pulled out a tight decision win against Jamaine Ortiz despite looking shaky at times. 

Last May, Lomachenko lost a spirited, controversial unanimous decision to Haney. 

And now, Lomachenko is looking to revive his career once more as he gets another bite at the lightweight title against Kambosos for the vacant IBF crown in Perth, Australia on May 12 (May 11 in the US). The event will air on ESPN in the US.

“Has Loma slipped a little? Yeah,” Lomachenko promoter Bob Arum told BoxingScene. “He’s 36 and not that old but he had a long 400-fight amateur career at the top level. He’s probably not as good as he was five years ago. George Kambosos is a live dog in the fight. He’s a very good fighter and always in shape. It’s going to be a tough fight. I love having Loma as part of Top Rank and have great affection for him. He’s a tremendous man. Everything you want from a fighter. 

“But he’s in very tough against Kambosos. That’s going to be a very interesting match that I’m looking forward to. I believe Lomachenko is still a great fighter. I thought Loma won the Haney fight. But again, judges decided otherwise, and you have to respect the decision of the judges.” 

Kambosos told BoxingScene that he respects Lomachenko but doesn’t think he has the “dog in him” anymore. 

Lomachenko has had a dominant run at 130 pounds but comparatively mixed results at 135, a division he’s always deemed too big for his diminutive frame. 

If Lomachenko turns back the clock and scores a statement win against Kambosos, Arum said a possible title unification fight could be explored with Top Rank stablemate Shakur Stevenson. 

The WBC lightweight champion Stevenson is a pending free agent following his July 6 title defense against Artem Harutyunyan but has long expressed interest in fighting Lomachenko. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.