‘He’s done’: Gervonta Davis’ coach tells Vasyl Lomachenko to retire after talks break down

Man, this is really disappointing news! The mega lightweight unification match between Gervonta Davis And Vasyl Lomachenko that was all arranged for the second half of the year? It’s out now. Everyone was excited about it after Davis Frank Martin in June. Both fighters wanted to face each other in late 2024, but now, with Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas’ recent statement, it seems like it might not happen after all. And Kenny Ellis is not happy about it!

According to a report from ESPN Mike CoppingerOfficials from PBC and Top Rank met in Las Vegas last week to finalize a fight deal for ESPN-Prime Video PPV. ‘Loma’ reportedly arrived in Los Angeles to consider his options and decided to avoid the fight for the time being. Lomachenko’s manager later said: “Loma is not in the mood right now. He doesn’t have the motivation at the moment.”

Klimas added that Lomachenko wants to spend more time with his family, as money is not the only motivation for the Ukrainian boxing legend. “You can offer him millions, tens of millions of dollars – if he is not motivated, he is not ready to prepare for the fight,” Klimas said. While this doesn’t mean the fight will never happen, Davis’ trainer Kenny Ellis couldn’t contain his frustration.

The Baltimore coach wrote in his Instagram story earlier today: “If Lomachenko can’t be motivated by the opportunity to become the face of boxing, then his team needs to hang up his gloves where he can never reach them again. He’s done.” Interestingly, the prospect of Lomachenko possibly retiring is not new.

Many in the community have suggested that Lomachenko, at 36, is past his prime and should hang up his gloves. Even Lomachenko’s last opponent, George Kambosos Jr. promised to force Lomachenko into retirement by beating him. But things turned out differently for Kambosos Jr. when they met in the ring.

Vasyl Lomachenko has rejected Kambosos Jr.’s threat to retire

In May of this year, Lomachenko and Kambosos Jr. fought for the vacant IBF lightweight title in Perth, Australia. Despite concerns over Lomachenko’s age, the Ukrainian put on an absolute masterclass en route to an 11th-round knockout victory. However, before the bout, Kambosos Jr. vowed to send Lomachenko into retirement.

In a press conference held before the fight, Lomachenko responded to his opponent’s statements by suggesting that this is not the first time he has heard people talking about his retirement, adding that he will show his capabilities in the ring. He admitted, “Nobody knows, you know? It’s, I don’t know what happens after this fight. I don’t know what my body’s going to be like. I don’t know.”

The abrupt cancellation of the highly anticipated Tank vs. Loma showdown has left fans dismayed and Kenny Ellis himself deeply disappointed. With the bout shelved, Gervonta Davis must now find a new challenger to step into the ring later this year, while Lomachenko looks set to defend his title in 2025. What do you think of this twist in the tale?