Unified world champion Vasyl Lomachenko says his future in boxing is unclear if he goes on to win all four titles at lightweight in the coming months.
The Ukrainian, 31, already holds the WBA and WBO belts, and contests the vacant WBC title against Britain’s Luke Campbell in London on Saturday.
Lomachenko has broken records for the speed with which he has amassed world titles in three weight classes.
“It’s one of my goals and dream to put my name in boxing history,” he said.
“That’s why I started a pro career and fought for a world title in my second fight. I’m the fastest three-weight world champion, so I do everything for legacy.”
It took Lomachenko 12 professional bouts to earn world belts in the featherweight, super-featherweight and lightweight divisions.
Saturday’s O2 Arena bout – his 15th as a pro – will be broadcast by BBC Radio 5 Live and will be covered by the BBC Sport website with live-text commentary.
Lomachenko’s professional success followed Olympic gold medals at featherweight in 2008 and lightweight in 2012, the same year in which Campbell won bantamweight gold of his own at the London Games.
In all, Lomachenko had a reported 396 amateur contests, losing just one.
Asked by BBC Sport boxing correspondent Mike Costello if he could see his professional career extending into his forties like that of Manny Pacquiao, Lomachenko said: “No, I don’t want that, it’s too much. I have trained since I am four years old. I was born a boxer.
“Always, something has to end. I want to hunt, I want to fish every day. Now I can’t do this as I train every day. My motivation, my goal, is four titles [at lightweight]. After, I don’t know what happens. Now it’s two more belts.”
Should Lomachenko beat Campbell to hold three of the four lightweight titles he craves, it would leave only Ghana’s Richard Commey – who holds the IBF belt – standing in his way of becoming an undisputed champion.
Lomachenko is often cited as one of the world’s best fighters in any weight division and his impact on professional boxing was likened to that of Tiger Woods’ in golf by Costello in 2018.
But given the southpaw has already navigated three weight classes to reach the 135lb lightweight category, it appears difficult for him to keep ascending through divisions given his 5ft 7in frame.
Costello, who spoke to Lomachenko in the build-up to Saturday’s fight, said: “Shane McGuigan [Campbell’s trainer] told me that if you look at Lomachenko’s record, it’s barely a dozen fights old but some of those fights have been hard.
“Then if you back that up with the long amateur career he had and listen to my interview with him, I can’t escape the notion that he is starting to feel he has had enough.”
