Former Champion Boxer Lomachenko Joins Klitschko's In Defending Ukraine

Another Ukrainian boxer has gone from throwing bombs to potentially triggering the real thing. Vasiliy Lomachenko, a three-time world champion and ESPN's 8th ranked pound-for-pound boxer, has joined famed heavyweights, the Klitschko brothers in their attempt to stave off a Russian invasion.

A Sunday Facebook post from Lomachenko's account shows the two-time Olympic gold medalist boxer dressed in fatigues, prepared to fight for his country.

Per an ESPN report, Lomachenko was in Greece when Russia began an invasion into Ukraine, prompting the fighter to head home. Flight delays forced him to fly into Bucharest then travel through Romania in order to eventually reach his family.

Lomachenko's decision to defend his homeland rather than flee should come as no surprise. Last week, both Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, who like Lomachenko, were former championship boxers, have already exercised their natural right to bear arms.

"We are so proud of our boxers, our real champions in boxing and champions in this war,"  Mykola Kovalchuk, president of WBC Ukraine said, per ESPN. "We are proud to be Ukrainians."

Lomachenko was in the ring as recently as December, defeating Richard Commey at Madison Square Garden. The 34-year-old has a career 16-2 record with 11 knockouts. He is expected to fight for a title in early June.

But he has some Russians to take care of first.

 

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