Judge Rovenky: I want to see Usyk's farewell fight in Yalta, Ukraine.

In a conversation with Champion, Kostyantyn reflected on Lomachenko's career and revealed which other three fights Usyk would like to see.

When the likelihood of Lomachenko's defeat increases

– Kostya, should Lomachenko hang up his gloves right now?

– I believe it all depends on his personal ambitions and health status. If Lomachenko wishes to end his career as a champion, then it might be time to wrap things up. Alternatively, he could have one more "farewell" fight against a boxer who won't pose too many challenges in the ring. If he aims for a mega-fight to earn a big paycheck, then he should "seek" a match with Gervonta or Shakur. However, in this case, the likelihood of defeat increases.

– Will the native of Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi be inducted into the Hall of Fame, where Vitali and Volodymyr Klitschko are already members?

– I believe Lomachenko definitely deserves a spot there! When? If I'm not mistaken, three years must pass from the official end of his career for the nomination.

– If we summarize Vasyl's career, where did he shine more, in amateur boxing or in the professional ring?

– Honestly, I don't see the principles or criteria by which to compare these two different careers – amateur and professional. But I'll try...

In the amateurs, Lomachenko won every possible championship, twice at the Olympic Games, and once claimed the Vel Barker Trophy (awarded to the most technical boxer of the tournament – note M.R.). He fought 396 matches, losing only one in the final of the 2007 World Championship. The only ones he can be compared with are the three-time Olympic champions – Cubans Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon, as well as Hungarian Laszlo Papp.

Given this, the answer seems obvious, as on the professional stage, one would logically rank all absolute champions above the Ukrainian (Lomachenko never became one). Additionally, all champions in four or more weight categories (Lomachenko conquered three).

However, recalling the start of Loma's career, things appear less certain! Initially, he tied the Thai record by becoming world champion in his third fight. Then he became the only boxer in history to win championships in two weight classes within seven fights, and later a champion in a third weight within twelve! This means that in professional boxing, he achieved accomplishments no other boxer had before him!

If you ask me for a specific answer, I think Lomachenko was and remains primarily an Olympian, and only secondarily a star professional boxer.

– Did Lomachenko's decision to stay for a second Olympic cycle (2008-2012) in amateur boxing hinder him from showing better results in the professional ring? Can it be said that this was a strategic mistake by Vasyl and his father?

– It's not a very accurate question. It's like trying to answer the question: is a crocodile longer than it is green, or greener than it is long? It can be said with certainty that if they had decided to turn professional after the Beijing 2008 Olympics, his career in professional boxing would have been longer and, as a result, entirely different. There wouldn't have been such a sharp start when they sought the champion title in the debut fight. It’s highly likely that there wouldn’t have been injuries, which Lomachenko began to face, I believe, starting from his ninth fight. There wouldn’t have been the records mentioned in the previous question...

What criteria should be used to assess the success of a professional career? If absolute championship is the measure, then I’m confident Loma would have achieved it! Perhaps even in more than one weight category. If the criterion is the amount of money earned in professional boxing, I also believe it would have been more successful, if only because it would have lasted longer, with more fights and, consequently, more earnings.

Therefore, I think this question is very conditional. It should be posed to those who made that decision.

– Should Lomachenko have changed his father as a coach when moving to professional boxing? We remember that in his second pro fight, for which a championship title was at stake, Vasyl lost – largely due to Anatoliy Lomachenko’s inexperience as a trainer, who was then taking his first steps in professional boxing.

– I don’t believe anything needed to be changed. On the contrary, I think one of the biggest issues hindering boxers from fully realizing their potential as they build their professional careers abroad is the coach problem. Different mentalities, various sociocultural characteristics, plus the language barrier prevent the creation of a reliable unified entity that a team should be to achieve the highest goals and results.

Three fights for Usyk

– Let’s move on to Usyk, who recently entered the top 10 oldest champions in the 140-year history of heavyweight boxing. Does he have the potential to displace Vitali and Volodymyr Klitschko from this ranking? Predict how many more fights Alexander can manage to have?

– Honestly, I don’t think Usyk will stay in professional boxing for long. He has defeated all the best in his weight in his era. What’s the point of waiting for years to pass, only for a new star in the heavyweight division to emerge, making him a stepping stone, like Volodymyr Klitschko was for Anthony Joshua?

If we were to hypothetically speculate and you asked me which three fights I would like to see involving Oleksandr Usyk, my "matchmaking" would look like this. First, a fight in the heavyweight division against Jan Jilei. Purely my sports fan interest! It would be interesting to see how the match would unfold, what tactics Alexander would choose, and how Jilei would behave in such a fight.

Secondly, a championship fight in a new weight category – bridgerweight. Against any worthy opponent to create his unique professional legacy – a championship in the three heaviest divisions. And a farewell fight against any opponent in any weight, but definitely in an open arena on the shores of Ukrainian Yalta.

– A wonderful prospect! However, Usyk's next fight will likely take place in Saudi Arabia. What do you think about the Saudis' positioning of hosting major sports and musical events as a way to reduce their country's dependence on natural resources through tourism?

– The Saudis are thus promoting and "marketing" their country on the world stage! And it's very good for the professional boxing industry that they have chosen the art of boxing as their "marketing" tool.

– The career of the Ukrainian is currently at its peak, while also nearing its conclusion. Who will succeed Usyk in heavyweight boxing? Thanks to the Klitschko brothers and Usyk, we have become accustomed to the dominance of Ukrainians in the heavyweight division. Will we soon have to part with this pleasant familiarity?

– Certainly, Alexander will soon pave the way for the young. Who will fill this niche? I hope we will see worthy successors! Personally, I would be interested to follow the careers of at least two young prospects. Unfortunately, they are not Ukrainians – American Richard Torres and Briton Itauma Moses.

Maxim Rozenko, Champion
Editor-in-Chief – Mykola Dendak