This Amateur Boxing Legend is About to Have the Biggest Pro Fight of His Life
By Showtime
Ukraine’s Vasyl Lomachenko is fighting for a featherweight title this Saturday against American Gary Russell Jr., in just his third fight as a professional. Not only would a belt avenge a tough loss to Orlando Salido in his last fight, but it would mean Lomachenko is well on the way to making as big a dent in the pro boxing scene as he made as an amateur. How big a dent did he make then? Well …
He went 396-1 as an amateur.
That is not a typo.
396-1.
The only guy who ever beat him, Russian Albert Selimov? Lomachenko beat Selimov later. Twice.
Honestly. 396-1!
OK, we’ll stop talking about the record itself and just mention that it included two Olympic gold medals.
His torso tattoo screams, “this is not a guy you want to mess with.”
But he finds time for lighter pursuits, too. Such as fishing:
… and time with his son.
He’s from Ukraine, but he’s warmed up to the United States. Whether it’s the sports:
The landmarks:
The cultural icons:
Or the finest cuisine:
… he’s a natural in the States – not to mention a man of many interests. But ultimately for Lomachenko, it’s about boxing…