HEROIC boxing star Vasyl Lomachenko has decided to keep fighting on the Ukrainian front line after turning down a world title bout to face George Kambosos Jr.
The three-weight world champion, 34, is one of a number of Ukrainian sporting icons that have joined the fight to defend their nation following Russia’s invasion.
Vasyl Lomachenko (left) has decided to keep fighting on the Ukrainian front line rather than return to boxing Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Lomachenko was set to face Australian lightweight world champion George Kambosos Jr later this year Credit: Getty And the two-time Olympic gold medallist is refusing to leave the country as he has elected to keep fighting on the battlefield instead of in the boxing ring.
It was reported last week how Lomachenko’s team were looking to pull him out of Ukraine so he can prepare for a showdown against unbeaten Australian ace Kambosos Jr in June.
But the lightweight contest will have to wait with Kambosos Jr tweeting Lomachenko to ‘stay safe’ as he paid his respect to his rival.
He said: “I respect your decision and I totally understand and I pray for you and your country.
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Start time, live stream and TV info as Man Utd legend steps in boxing ring “Please stay safe and once I wipe the floor with Devin [Haney], we will make this fight between two real champions. God bless.”
Kambosos Jr is now targeting a match-up against America’s Devin Haney in an undisputed contest.
The Sydney native’s promoter Lou DiBella has declared he has nothing but admiration for Lomachenko.
He told ESPN: “How can anyone question, the fight he’s going through right now is much bigger than any boxing match.
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“We made a deal with him, the deal was literally done before the invasion, we wanted to give him any chance within reason with our allowable timetable.
“We have nothing but the utmost respect for his decision. Kambosos wanted to make sure once we made that deal that Lomachenko had ample time to decide.
“We said all along we would try to make the biggest fights and we did that today.”
Commenting on a potential fight against WBC Haney, Kambosos Jr tweeted: “You were offered it months ago & you played around.
“In the meantime the great man Vasyl Lomachenko made it very simple to do anything to make it happen & it was a done deal.
“But Loma now has a bigger fight atm which I totally respect so let’s see how much of your word is true.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
