After years of giving away size against naturally bigger lightweights, Vasiliy Lomachenko may finally be heading back toward the division range that suited him best physically, with a possible move down to 130 pounds now opening the door to an immediate title fight against unified champion Emanuel Navarrete.
Lomachenko, 38, has not fought since stopping George Kambosos Jr. in May 2024 to capture the IBF lightweight title. Since allowing his Top Rank deal to expire earlier this month, speculation has centered on a return later this year, with many expecting him to stay at lightweight for potential fights against bigger names at 135.
The comments from WBO president Gustavo Olivieri may have pointed in another direction.
“Lomachenko is back, and if he wants to fight at 130lbs against Navarrete, I’m sure that the WBO Executive Committee [will approve their fight].
“In light of his professional merits – [two-time] Olympic [gold] medallist, champion in multiple divisions, WBO super champion, a future Hall of Famer – I’m sure the approval will be unanimous,” Olivieri said on social media.
A move to super featherweight would place Lomachenko much closer to the weight range where many fans believe he looked his best earlier in his career. He began as a featherweight at 126 and built much of his reputation there before eventually moving up and competing against larger lightweights.
The size issue became harder to ignore late in his run at 135. Lomachenko was still competitive, but often looked physically smaller against opponents who rehydrated into full welterweight-sized fighters by fight night.
Navarrete would still bring physical problems of his own. The Mexican is unusually long and rangy for a super featherweight, and his awkward style has troubled many opponents. At the same time, Navarrete has shown vulnerability to body punching and has occasionally carried soft weight around his midsection between fights.
That could make the matchup more workable for Lomachenko than some of the larger, younger punchers currently controlling the lightweight division.
The move down to 130 may say more about where Lomachenko sees himself physically at this stage of his career than any public statement ever could.
WBO President Gustavo Olivieri reiterated that, should Team Loma formally seek a direct shot at Emanuel “Vaquero” Navarrete, the matter would receive serious consideration from the Executive Committee given Lomachenko’s legacy as a 3-Division WBO World Champion and one of the… pic.twitter.com/ZJy3qTcU3P
— WBO (@WorldBoxingOrg) May 21, 2026
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Last Updated on 2026/05/24 at 5:19 PM
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