Melbourne, get ready because Australian undisputed lightweight champion George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr. is reportedly coming home to defend his title!
According to ESPN, Sydney-born Kambosos (20-0) is set to fight on June 5 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne with Vasiliy Lomachenko or Devin Haney tipped to take on the Aussie.
Sources told ESPN that Lomachenko is firming as the favourite for the title shot and has already agreed to a deal that includes a rematch for another fight in Australia if Kambosos loses.
It was in November last year when the undefeated 28-year-old Kambosos ‘shocked the boxing world’ by winning a split decision over US boxing star Teofimo Lopez in his hometown of New York at Madison Square Garden. Kambosos claimed the WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring lightweight titles with the victory.
The win stunned the boxing world and was later named ‘ESPN’s Upset of the Year’. Lopez was regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world and no one gave Kambosos any chance of winning.
“Did I change all week? Have I changed my whole career? Never,” Kambosos said after the victory.
“I believe in myself, I back myself. I said it time after time, you may not believe it but I believe in myself and look at me now, I’ve got all the jewels.”
Following the victory, Kambosos claimed he is ‘the greatest Australian fighter in history’.
So, after Kambosos was given no chance in defeating Lopez, has he finally earned the respect he deserves by the world boxing fans and media?
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao spent hundreds of rounds sparring with Kambosos so the Aussie must be doing something right in the boxing ring.
‘Pac-Man’ said Kambosos had been a big help in his previous fights.
“Congratulations to my friend, George Kambosos Jr on an epic win! You helped me in so many of my past fights, I hope our hundreds of rounds of sparring helped you in some way tonight. I’m proud of you,” Pacquiao wrote on Twitter after Kambosos’ victory against Lopez.
If the Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) fight does go ahead, it will prove to be another tough challenge for Kambosos.
Lomachenko is a former three-division champion and is coming off two consecutive wins. He is ESPN’s number two lightweight and number eight pound-for-pound boxer.
Australian boxing fans will no doubt love what they heard when Kambosos’ promoter Lou DiBella told The Sydney Morning Herald that the next fight for ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos would be in Australia.
“I can tell you now, unequivocally, that George’s first defence will be in Australia. You can take that to the bank. We want to make the biggest splash we can and that is on the instructions of the fighter,” DiBella said.
Australia can’t wait to see ‘the emperor’ fight on his home turf as he continues to dominate the lightweight division.
“I’m not the king – you’ve got the four kings – I’m the emperor because I come to every other country and I take them out one by one,” Kambosos said.
Now we just need Kambosos to bring that confidence to Melbourne!
