Vasiliy Lomachenko re-signs with Top Rank: 'I thought I would never step back into the ring'

He returns at 130lb, where Anthony Cacace holds the WBA belt, with Dan Rafael reporting a first fight against Charly Suarez on 13 February.

Vasiliy Lomachenko has reversed his retirement and re-signed with Top Rank. "I thought I would never step back into the ring again as a boxer," he said. "But our Lord Jesus Christ had other plans for me. I'm happy to be living this boxing life once again."

The multi-year deal, announced on Thursday, is a co-promotion between Top Rank and Lomachenko's own new company, Loma Power Promotions. He will fight at 130lb and is expected back in early 2027. Top Rank did not name an opponent, a date or a broadcaster.

Dan Rafael reported that the first fight is slated for 13 February against Charly Suarez. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum told the Daily Tribune this week that the fight would be "in the middle of February" and "probably in Las Vegas", adding: "They're finalizing all the papers with Charly's people." Of Suarez, he said: "He's gonna get a fantastic purse."

The target is the undisputed title. "He's accomplished so much, but he's determined to become undisputed," Arum said. Lomachenko's manager, Egis Klimas, said: "He still has unfinished business and a dream that means so much to him: becoming the undisputed champion."

That chase would run through two champions. The Daily Tribune reported that under Top Rank's timeline, the Suarez fight's winner becomes the challenger to O'Shaquie Foster, who holds the WBC, WBO and IBF belts, with the winner of that fight then meeting the WBA champion. Foster and Lomachenko came face to face at ringside last month and agreed to fight next year. The WBA belt belongs to Anthony Cacace, who defends it against Nick Ball at The O2 Belfast on 19 December.

Lomachenko credited Klimas for the comeback. "Special respect and gratitude to Egis, who, despite my firm belief that my boxing career was over, never stopped believing that we would step into the ring again," he said. "He put in a tremendous amount of work and effort to get us back in the race."

Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) retired in June 2025 as IBF lightweight champion, having stopped George Kambosos Jr for the belt in May 2024. He said at ringside last month that 135lb was not his natural weight. He previously held the WBO title at 130lb.

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