The development, which was first reported by The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, came as somewhat of a surprise, especially since Lomachenko passed on high-profile fights along the way and officially announced that he was riding off into the sunset 11 months ago.

But Lomachenko's promotional contract with career-long promoter Top Rank expired this week, apparently giving Loma even more reason to lace the gloves up again searching for a significant fight without any tune-ups.

The landscape for Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs), a former three-division champion from featherweight to lightweight, would entail potential fights against top draws like Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson or Top Rank-aligned upstart lightweight beltholders Abdullah Mason and Raymond Muratalla.

“I don't know what, if anything, Lomachenko has lost with a two-year retirement,” Top Rank boss Bob Arum told reporters. “So, for me to hypothesize how he would do with all of these younger guys would be wrong. We'll just have to see.

“I don't know what his financial situation is. He earned a lot of money with us. He lives in Ukraine, and there are a lot of problems there. Maybe he needs money, or maybe he's just anxious to get out of the house.

"But Loma represents the best of what boxing has to offer. I wish him the best because he was a great, great warrior for us. He really epitomizes the best in boxing.”

Lomachenko last fought in May 2024, scoring an 11th-round stoppage of George Kambosos in Australia for the vacant IBF lightweight title, which he vacated upon retirement.

Before announcing his retirement, the two-time Olympic gold medalist was in talks to face “Tank” Davis in the fall of 2024, but the Ukrainian passed on the bout as he endured lingering back issues.

It remains to be seen what the desired weight will be for Lomachenko's return.

Even during his heyday, Lomachenko maintained that he felt too small at 135 pounds, at which he fought the last 10 fights of his career and suffered competitive losses along the way against his toughest opponents in Devin Haney in 2023 and Teofimo Lopez three years earlier.