Vasiliy Lomachenko joins Ukrainian Defense Battalion

Earlier this week, we shared the news that former heavyweight champions Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko committed to defend their country against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Now, former lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko has joined the fight as well.

A Facebook post from Lomachenko said:

The Belgorod-Dnestrovsky Territorial Defense Battalion has been formed and armed. In the territorial defense, boxer Vasily Lomachenko informed the mayor Vitaly Grazhdan.

Lomachenko was rumored for a June 5th fight in Australia against George Kambosos Jr. It’s a fight that would have given Lomachenko the opportunity to reclaim the four belts he lost to Teofimo Lopez back in October 2020, and that Kambosos won from Lopez in November 2021.

All of that has taken a back seat to defending his home and country.

Frankly, if I were a multi-millionaire celebrity athlete in the heart of my career, I don’t know that I’d have the inclination or courage to do what Lomachenko has chosen to do. Respect and best wishes for his safety.

Hopefully, peace will come quickly. Then we can get back to concerning ourselves with civilized combat in the ring again, rather than worrying about life and death on the battlefield.