Lomachenko Eyes Charly Suarez for Ring Return at 130 Pounds
The 38-year-old former pound-for-pound king wants a tune-up at super featherweight before chasing bigger names, and Suarez is the target.
Vasiliy Lomachenko is targeting Filipino contender Charly Suarez for his ring return at super featherweight, the Ukrainian star told Fight Hub TV. Lomachenko, 38, has not fought since stopping George Kambosos Jr. in May 2024 and has not competed at 130 pounds since 2017.
"My next step, it will be a fight with a guy, maybe with a guy from the Philippines, Suarez," Lomachenko said. "It will be my first fight after rest."
Lomachenko's team is scheduled to meet with promoter Bob Arum to discuss the business side of the comeback. No date, venue or official opponent has been confirmed.
The former three-division champion was clear about his approach. He wants to ease back in rather than jump straight into a major fight.
"I want to do slowly, slowly, slowly," Lomachenko said. "I need to check my body in the real fight."
At 38, Lomachenko acknowledged that time is not on his side. He said if he waited two or three more years he would be 40 or 41, adding: "It will be too late."
Suarez, also 38, is a respected contender but not a top-tier opponent. Names like O'Shaquie Foster and Gervonta Davis were floated during the interview as potential future matchups. When asked about those fights, Lomachenko told the interviewer to slow down.
Dropping back to 130 after years at lightweight is a significant move for Lomachenko, though his natural size has always suited the lower weights. If his body holds up in a tune-up against Suarez, the super featherweight division suddenly has one of boxing's biggest names back in the mix.
Lomachenko at 130 again is fascinating. This is a guy who made super featherweight look like an art form before moving up, and at 38 he's smart enough to know that dropping back down gives him the best chance to look like the old Loma. The Suarez fight is clearly a tune-up, and there's nothing wrong with that after two and a half years off.
What I'm really watching for is what comes after. Foster would be a hell of a test, and the Gervonta Davis fight is the one everyone still wants even though it should have happened five years ago. But Lomachenko needs to prove his body can still do what his brain tells it to. One fight at a time. If the legs are still there, 130 is his playground again.
https://www.boxingnews24.com/2026/10/vasily-lomachenko-targets-charly-suarez-for-ring-return-at-130/
