WBC Ukraine President: Lomachenko has overcome his star syndrome.
Recently, boxing insider Mike Coppinger reported, that Lomachenko may consider retiring from his career. The champion, along with WBC Ukraine president Mykola Kovalchuk, attempted to assess whether it is time for Vasyl to step away, what mistakes he made during his boxing career, and what the future holds for Lomachenko.
– Mr. Mykola, should Vasyl hang up his gloves right now? Is there any sense in having one more fight as the reigning world champion?
– Whether he should or shouldn't is a very philosophical question and depends solely on Vasyl's desire and decision. If he lacks motivation, if he is tired of boxing and it "sticks in his throat" – then of course he shouldn't. To compete against top young boxers who are at the peak of their careers, one must be highly motivated and in the best physical condition. We have seen that Vasyl has had many injuries. His body is quite worn out and exhausted from years of continuous heavy training. This cannot be overlooked. Additionally, losses in bouts for the title of absolute world champion certainly do not contribute to his motivation. Especially since it may take a long time to realize the unification of all belts. This was his main goal in his career.
– Will Lomachenko enter the Hall of Fame, where Vitali and Volodymyr Klitschko are already present? If so, when?
– Without a doubt, he will. There is no question about it. He is an exceptional boxer. His achievements and results in amateur boxing are extraordinary. Olympians from around the world will look up to him.
Regarding his professional career – he won the world champion title in just his third fight, unified titles from different organizations, and was a world champion in three weight categories. This is an impressive result, especially achieved in a short period of time. He only experienced a brief knockdown once in his professional career, and in the next moment, he knocked out his opponent. His style, reflexes, speed, and footwork are remarkable. He and the global boxing superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez were exclusively awarded the special WBC Franchise title. This title is that of a super champion, which does not have a defense timeline. WBC truly considers him special, at the level of boxing legends like Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, and Roberto Duran. President Mauricio Sulaiman has always taken pride in the fact that Lomachenko held the WBC title. Vasyl and his father have been repeatedly recognized by international boxing organizations as the best boxer and trainer of the year. Lomachenko is undoubtedly a legendary boxer of all time.
– Did Lomachenko's decision to stay for a second Olympic cycle (2008-2012) in amateur boxing prevent him from demonstrating better results in the professional ring?
– Yes, it did hinder him. However, it provided him the opportunity to achieve significant results in amateur boxing. They had clear priorities and moved in that direction. That was their conscious choice at the time. Lomachenko lost two things. The most valuable – time, as he missed his physical peak, and also the chance to gain more professional experience and adapt himself to being a pro boxer. I reiterate the well-worn phrase – amateur and professional boxing are two different sports, with different goals, tasks, judging criteria, and expectations from fans. The latter requires a fundamentally different, much more complex physical and tactical-technical preparation. Time for adaptation to professional boxing was needed for both Vasyl and his steadfast father-coach.
For boxing fans – this is a mistake on their part. However, for the Lomachenkos, it was evidently a conscious choice, for which no one has the right to judge them. They did what they deemed necessary. Vasyl is and will remain the most renowned Olympic boxer from Ukraine and among the legendary figures in the history of world boxing. I don't think the Lomachenkos regret it. Although now, if they could turn back time, they might have made a different decision. Perhaps for their son Vasyl, if he chooses a boxing career, they will make different decisions – based on their acquired experience.
Because if we talk about global fame, money, advertising contracts, and so on, the focus must be on professional boxing. Emphasis on bright power boxing with knockout punches. With hype and theatrics before, during, and after the fights. This needs to be learned from Fury, Mayweather, McGregor, and other global stars. These guys know and feel what attracts the public.
Vasyl Lomachenko
– Should Lomachenko have changed his father-trainer when transitioning to professional boxing?
– He is his father, his brain, and processor in the ring. I believe this was impossible from both Vasyl's and his father's perspective. After all, a father always believes he will provide the best for his son, and a stranger cannot do that. Perhaps they needed external consultations from experienced and successful pro trainers to make certain adjustments (I do not have information on whether they sought anyone). I believe that professional boxing at the highest level is a team effort. Harmonious and constructive. Without jealousy, envy, or conflicts within the team. As happens, for example, in the camp of two-time absolute world champion Terence Crawford. He has four boxing coaches. Each expresses their vision, offers their approaches, and pays attention to specific aspects in preparing for each particular opponent. Plus, there are two physical training coaches, masseurs, and a number of other people who handle organizational work in the training camp. And this team works as a single mechanism.
The problem is that a terrible mistake of lone trainers is their self-importance. Their ego. Confidence in their uniqueness and correctness. The desire to receive all the "glory" and recognition through the boxer's successes exclusively leads to very unfortunate and often devastating results for the career overall. This especially applies to amateur boxing coaches who do not want to let go of their charges. They are reluctant to allow outside specialists who can introduce significant and extremely important changes that are noticeable to the "unclouded eye."
– We remember how in his second fight in the professional ring, for which the championship title was at stake, Vasyl lost – largely due to Aнатолій Ломаченко's inexperience as a trainer, who was then taking his first steps in professional boxing.
– Yes. That is precisely what I just mentioned. Anatoliy Mykolayovych is an exceptionally intelligent, analytical person who made a very positive impact on the so-called "golden" national boxing team during the Olympic cycles of Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He contributed greatly to the boys in the team – especially Usyk, Berinchik, and Gvozdyk. However, in professional boxing, there are too many details that he was unaware of at that time. And going into such serious bouts without the help of external experienced professional trainers was not entirely right. But that's just my assumption. Perhaps they worked with such trainers. Although the result of the fight with Salido likely indicates the opposite.
– What awaits Lomachenko in Ukraine? Will he remain a marginal with "Orthodoxy in his brain," or will common sense prevail, as happened with the onset of the full-scale war with Oleksandr Usyk?
– I do not know what will happen to him. Only God knows. On one hand, Vasyl makes strange statements. On the other hand, I hear from his entourage that Lomachenko donates millions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in his region. He simply does this without publicity, not advertising it. He is indeed quite a closed person who dislikes excessive publicity and noise. There is also information from his circle that Lomachenko has changed as a person. He has become more modest, cast aside his pride, and rid himself of the star syndrome. I do not know exactly how much of this reflects reality. But I know that it is not worth gossiping and making conclusions based on fragmented statements from the media or remarks from haters. Vasyl is our pride as an athlete, and who he is as a Ukrainian, as a patriot – time will tell.