Vasiliy Lomachenko isn’t planning a soft return to boxing. After more than two years away from the ring, the former three-division world champion is reportedly targeting elite opposition immediately upon his comeback later this year.
According to The Ring’s Mike Coppinger on DAZN’s Inside The Ring, Lomachenko is looking at unified IBF and WBO junior lightweight champion Emanuel Navarrete as a possible first opponent in the fall.
Coppinger previously reported that Lomachenko has no interest in tune-up fights and only wants marquee-level opponents as he closes out his legendary career.
The Ukrainian icon reportedly views Navarrete as an ideal return matchup due to:
- Navarrete’s championship status
- His aggressive style
- His current pound-for-pound momentum
- The possibility of immediately re-entering the title picture
If Lomachenko defeats Navarrete, discussions could reportedly shift toward a long-awaited showdown with Gervonta Davis.
Navarrete Riding Career Momentum
Emanuel Navarrete enters the potential matchup in outstanding form. Navarrete (40-2-1, 33 KOs) is coming off one of the biggest wins of his career after stopping Eduardo Nunez in the 11th round on February 28 to unify titles at 130 pounds.
That performance elevated the Mexican star to No. 10 on The Ring pound-for-pound rankings. The 31-year-old has already captured world titles in three different divisions and is widely considered one of the sport’s most dangerous volume punchers. A clash with Vasiliy Lomachenko would pit two of boxing’s most creative and high-IQ fighters against one another.
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Robert LaMar is a Deputy Editor for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
