Lomachenko’s future is uncertain: back injury and possible tank fight

IBF lightweight champion Vasily Lomachenko is dealing with a back injury and will resume his career if given the green light with evidence on this issue.

Lomachenko’s health

Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) will turn 37 on February 17 and has been fighting just once a year since 2022. He is not young and has been campaigning in a division he is too small for at 135, regularly facing with more size.

Gervonta Davis, 30, would like to fight Lomachenko if he continues his career. Six years ago, he wanted nothing to do with Lomachienko, but interest is high now that he’s gotten older and lost a few times.

It would be a nice payday for Ukrainian talent. Still, it would be risky, and there’s a good chance Lomachenko will receive a controversial decision loss, like in his loss against Devin Haney on May 20, 2023.

Tank would be the A-side, the superstar money fighter, and Lomachenko might need to do something extraordinary to make a decision. That’s the disadvantage for him fighting the Baltimore native.

There’s a risk of being robbed again or knocked out if one of Tank’s big guns catches him. If Lomachenko doesn’t agree to fight Baltimore native Gervonta, boxing fans will think he’s a chicken and fear they’ll suffer a bad loss. It would make him look weak in the eyes of fans.

In the face of criticism

Lomachenko was already criticized for not agreeing to fight the defensive artist Shakur Stevenson. Stevenson is seen as a the poor man’s version of itself without offensive capacity.

If Loma decides to continue his career, it’s unlikely he’ll drop back down to 130 at super featherweight because it wouldn’t make sense financially. Other than Emanuel Navarrete, a reduced lightweight, that weight class has no stars.

Lomachenko looked excellent in his last fight, knocking out former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round to capture the vacant IBF 135-pound belt on May 12 in Perth, Australia.

The movement, skill and precise striking are still there, Lomachenko. He performed better than he has in years, but he didn’t face a giant lightweight like in his clash against Haney, nor did he face the huge puncher Gervonta.