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Legendary Ukrainian boxer retires at age 37

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Two-time Olympic boxing champion Vasiliy Lomachenko has announced his retirement from the sport at the age of 37.

Lomachenko won gold for Ukraine in the featherweight division at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing, and followed it up with a gold in the lightweight division at the 2012 Games in London.

Widely considered to be one of the greatest amateur boxers in history, he amassed a record of 396-1 before turning pro in 2013.

‘I’m grateful for every victory and every defeat, both in the ring and in life,’ Lomachenko said in a video posted on Instagram Thursday. ‘I’m thankful that, as my career comes to an end, I’ve gained clarity about the direction a person must take in order to achieve true victory, not just in the ring.’

As a professional, Lomachenko won world titles in three different divisions, but lost a controversial decision to Devin Haney in 2023 in a bid to regain the undisputed world lightweight title.

Known by nicknames such as ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Hi-Tech,’ Lomachenko’s final fight came in May 2024, when he stopped Australian George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round, running his professional record to 18-3.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY