Tag: George Kambosos Jr.

Weekend Review: Vasiliy Lomachenko reminded us of how special he is

Weekend Review: Vasiliy Lomachenko reminded us of how special he is on Saturday in Australia.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Vasiliy Lomachenko

I don’t know whether Lomachenko can beat 135-pound rivals Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis, two rising young stars. Stevenson mirrors the Ukrainian in terms of pure skill but he’s younger by a decade. And Davis is a more-complete fighter, with both technical ability and one-punch knockout power.

I won’t put anything past Lomachenko, however. He’s still brilliant at 36.

That was obvious on Saturday night in Perth, Australia, where he staged a clinic that embarrassed former champion George Kambosos Jr.. Lomachenko easily outboxed the Aussie for 10-plus rounds, wore him down and finally knocked him out in the 11th to become a world titleholder for the first time in three-plus years.

CompuBox statistics are never definitive but they reflected what happened in the ring on Saturday. Two numbers stand out. Kambosos landed 10.8% of his punches (40 of 371), evidence of Lomachenko’s remarkable defensive ability. And the winner connected on 50% of his power shots (105 of 21), an indication of his precision punching.

And while he isn’t known for his power, his punches were heavy enough to break down and bloody Kambosos after the loser went down from a left to the body.

We should be measured in our praise because of Kambosos’ limitations. He’s a tough, fiery fighter but his skill set is lacking. We saw that in back-to-back-decision losses to Devin Haney. And we saw it again against Lomachenko.

That being said Kambosos, who once defeated the man who toppled Lomachenko — Teofimo Lopez — to become unified 135-pound, was highly ranked. And Lomachenko made him look like an amateur.

Lomachenko admitted going into the fight that he’s beginning to feel his age, particularly in terms of the recovery process. For that reason I hope a faces either Stevenson of Davis in his next fight, when he’ll have a realistic chance of winning.

He certainly deserves it. The two-time Olympic champion has packed a lot into his 21-fight professional career, demonstrating a sublime skill set – perhaps most notably his footwork – against top competition beginning in his first few fights.

Let’s enjoy him while we still can.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

Kambosos (21-3, 10 KOs) apparently is a one-hit wonder. The 30-year-old from Sydney stunned the boxing world by upsetting a less-than-healthy Lopez by a split decision in 2021 but has struggled since, losing the two fights to Haney, eking out a victory over journeyman Maxi Hughes and then falling well short against Lomachenko. His plight demonstrates that grit can take a fighter only so far. … Everyone makes mistakes but ring announcer Dan Hennessey made a doozie in Perth, initially getting the result wrong after the Cherneka Johnson-Nina Hughes 118-pound title fight. Hennessey first announced that Hughes had won a decision to retain her title only to realize he got it wrong. He then called the fighters back to the center of the ring and declared that Johnson was the winner and the new champion, leaving Hughes feeling cheated and onlookers shaking their heads. The guy had one job to do and he failed miserably. ESPN analyst Tim Bradley spoke for everyone watching when he said, “Get this dude up out of here.”

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Vasiliy Lomachenko outclasses, stops George Kambosos Jr. in 11 to become beltholder again

Vasiliy Lomachenko outclassed George Kambosos Jr. before stopping him in the 11th round to become a beltholder again.

Vasiliy Lomachenko still has it at 36.

The Ukrainian boxing wizard, who hadn’t worn a major belt for more than three years, capped a dominating performance by stopping George Kambosos Jr. in the 11th round to capture the vacant IBF 135-pound title Saturday night (U.S. time) in Perth, Australia, the loser’s home country.

The official time of the stoppages was 2:49.

Lomachenko (18-3, 11 KOs) is a pound-for-pounder and three-division titleholder but the last time he could call himself a champion was 2020, the year he was upset by Teofimo Lopez and lost his lightweight titles.

He won three consecutive fights after that to earn a shot at champion Devin Haney only to lose a disputed decision in May of last year.

The oddsmakers were convinced he would finally regain a belt against the former champ Kambosos at RAC Arena, making him about a 5½-1 favorite. And they were right.

Lomachenko outclassed his tough, but overmatched opponent, picking Kambosos apart with quick, accurate shots from every conceivable angle and taking almost nothing in return.

Kambosos landed punches here and there — including some hard body shots — but he couldn’t connect enough to be competitive.

Lomachenko seemed to be on his way to a unanimous decision victory when he suddenly ended the fight in the penultimate round. The key blow was a left to the gut, which forced a worn down and bloodied Kambosos to take a knee.

He followed with a flurry of unanswered punches, which was enough to convince Kambosos’ father to throw in the towel and the referee to stop the one-sided fight.

The CompuBox stats reflected Lomachenko’s dominance. He landed 175 of 480 punches overall (36.5%), Kambosos only 40 of 371 (10.8%). The winner was even more impressive in the power punch department, connecting on 105 of 210 (50%). Kambosos was 36 of 189 (19%).

In other words, Lomachenko couldn’t have been much more effective even though he was fighting a former unified champ.

He can now set his sights on one of his talented fellow beltholders, Shakur Stevenson (WBC) or Gervonta Davis (WBA), both of whom are far superior to Kambosos.

Promoter Bob Arum, who handles Lomachenko, said before the fight on Saturday that he would try to match him and Stevenson later this year. And Davis called out Lomachenko on social media during the fight.

Vasiliy Lomachenko has opportunity to reclaim belt after three-plus years

Vasiliy Lomachenko will have an opportunity to reclaim his place among the best when he faces George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday in Australia.

Vasiliy Lomachenko hasn’t worn a world title belt since he was upset by Teofimo Lopez in October 2020, which is hard to believe given his pound-for-pound ability and the glut of championship trinkets.

He’ll get a chance to reclaim a belt once more on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, where he’ll face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title.

Lomachenko, 36, has said he’s not far from the end of his pugilistic road but he has plenty left to give. The oddsmakers have made him about a 5½-1 favorite to beat Kambosos on the latter’s home soil.

“I’m just looking forward to the IBF title,” the two-time Olympic champion said. “I need to take my title. And then after that, I can think about my future.”

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) maintains that he deserved to get the decision in the Lopez fight, in which he started slowly – perhaps because he fought with a nagging shoulder injury – but rallied in the later rounds to make it a close fight.

However, it was too little too late for all three judges, who gave Lopez the nod and the Ukrainian’s championship belts.

Many believe that Lomachenko did enough to beat then-unbeaten and undisputed lightweight champ Devin Haney in May of last year, as he delivered a vintage performance.

Again, though, Lomachenko ended up on the wrong end of a close, but unanimous decision, which allowed Haney to retain his belts and left the loser frustrated one more time.

The fight on Saturday is different from the two mentioned above, at least on paper.

Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) delivered a monumental upset when he outpointed Lopez to become champion in 2021. However, Lopez fought with a life-threatening condition in which air surrounded his heart, which presumably affected his performance.

And Kambosos has struggled since, losing back-to-back fights to Haney and then eking out a decision over journeyman Maxi Hughes.

Some believe Kambosos, a fiery, tough but limited boxer, is a one-hit wonder who will be in over his head against a master technician like Lomachenko.

Of course, Lomachenko has been around too long to take anything or anyone for granted. He repeatedly referred to the matchup as “interesting,” which apparently was his way of giving Kambosos his due.

“I’ve been in this sport a long time,” he said. “We are two professionals. We know boxing. It will be very, very interesting for both. It will be very, very interesting for all fans of boxing.”

Lomachenko sat atop some credible pound-for-pound lists before the setback against Lopez. That distinction will probably remain in his past as a new generation of stars make their way up the list.

That said, Lomachenko (ranked No. 13 by Boxing Junkie) could still make a significant move if certain things fall into place.

Promoter Bob Arum, who handles both Lomachenko and sublimely skilled Shakur Stevenson, said he wants to pair the two together if Lomachenko beats Kambosos and Stevenson gets past Artem Harutyunyan on July 6.

Then Lomachenko would have the opportunity to get back to where he and many others believe he belongs, among the best handful of fighters on the planet.

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Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr.: Date, time, how to watch, background

Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr.: Date, time, how to watch, background.

Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. will meet for the vacant IBF 135-pound title Saturday night (U.S. time) in Australia on ESPN and ESPN+.

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (17-3, 11 KOs)
VS. GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR. (21-2, 10 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, May 11 (in U.S.)
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • At stake: Vacant IBF title
  • Boxing Junkie Pound-for-pound: Lomachenko No. 13
  • Odds: Lomachenko 5½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): *****
  • Also on the card: Nina Hughes vs. Cherneka Johnson, bantamweights (for Hughes’ WBA title); Andrew Moloney vs. Pedro Guevara, junior bantamweights; Imam Khataev vs. Ricards Bolotniks, light heavyweights; Joe Goodall vs. Djanago Opelu, heavyweights
  • Background: Lomachenko, the 36-year-old boxing wizard from Ukraine, hasn’t held a major world title since he lost his 135-pound belts to Teofimo Lopez in 2020 yet is still considered one of the best boxers in the world. He bounced back from the loss by stopping Masayoshi Nakatani in June 2021 and then defeating Richard Commey by a one-sided decision that December. He has fought sporadically since Russia invaded his country in February 2022, entering the ring only twice. He easily outpointed Jamaine Ortiz in October of that year. Then the former three-division champion got his chance to regain past glory in a meeting with then-undisputed 135-pound champ Devin Haney in May of last year. Lomachenko gave a typically strong performance against his highly rated opponent but lost a disputed decision, 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113. He will get another crack at a belt against Kambosos in Australia. Kambosos shocked the boxing world by defeating Lopez to win a split decision and three 135-pound belts in 2021. It was downhill after that, as he lost back-to-back one-sided decisions to Haney. He rebounded to beat Maxi Hughes by a majority decision but he wasn’t convincing last July.

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Is George Kambosos Jr.’s showdown with Vasiliy Lomachenko his last stand?

Is George Kambosos Jr.’s showdown with Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday his last stand?

Could this finally be George Kambosos Jr.’s last hurrah?

The 135-pouind contender, who faces Vasiliy Lomachenko for the vacant IBF title Saturday in Perth, Australia (ESPN, ESPN+), had a major break through when he defeated Teofimo Lopez by a split decision 2021 to win three belts.

What has he done since? Lost back-to-back one-sided decisions to Devin Haney — losing his titles in the first fight — and then eked out a majority decision over journeyman Maxi Hughes last July in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

And now the tough, but limited fighter from Sydney is going to tangle with one of the most respected technicians in the world, one the oddsmakers have made about a 5½-1 favorite.

In other words, a victory over Lomachenko would be about as shocking as his upset of Lopez, who fought Kambosos with a dangerous condition in which air surrounded his chest wall and heart.

Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) believes in himself even if few others do.

“That mentality has lit a fuse where they’re saying, ‘This is the end of Kambosos, this is going to be an easy fight for Lomachenko,'” he told journalist Sean Zittel in an interview.

“If they think it’s going to be an easy fight, no problem. We’ll see on May 12th.”

The losses to Haney can be explained. He was up against a big 135-pounder who was considered one of the best fighters in the world until he went down three times and lost a decision to Ryan Garcia on April 20.

However, the fact Kambosos could barely get past Hughes reinforced the notion that he was a one-hit wonder.

Kambosos told BoxingScene.com that he had trouble getting up for the fight, which affected his performance.

“When you’ve been with 10-out-of-10 Victoria’s Secret models and then you get the 2-out-of-10, a guy [like Hughes, who] is supposed to be a bump in the road, you sometimes don’t have that supreme motivation,” Kambosos said.

“I had to adapt a lot in the fight. He was at his best, and I was at my worst.”

He shouldn’t have trouble with motivation on Saturday because he knows what he’s up against.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is coming off a disputed unanimous decision loss to Haney almost exactly a year ago but he clearly remains formidable at 36 years old.

“A hundred percent Lomachenko has a lot left in the tank,” Kambosos said. “But I don’t believe he has that dog inside of him anymore. I don’t think he wants it as bad as I do right now.

“You can never overlook a guy like Lomachenko. I’d be the biggest idiot if I were to do that. Lomachenko is an all-time great and a guy we have a lot of respect for. We are preparing for the best version of Lomachenko.

“Once that bell rings, the respect is out the door and it’s time to do the job.”

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Fight Week: Naoya Inoue vs. Luis Nery, Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr. on tap

Fight Week: Naoya Inoue will take on Luis Nery in the early morning hours Monday. Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr. is Saturday.

FIGHT WEEK

Naoya Inoue will face Luis Nery in the early morning hours Monday, U.S. time. Four days later, in Australia, Vasiliy Lomachenko is set to take on George Kambosos Jr.

NAOYA INOUE (26-0, 23 KOs)
VS. LUIS NERY (35-1, 27 KOs)

Editor’s note: Naoya Inoue got up from a knockdown to stop Luis Nery in Round 6 in the early morning hours U.S. time Monday.

  • Date: Monday, May 6
  • Time: 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Junior featherweight (122 pounds)
  • At stake: Inoue’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO titles
  • Boxing Junkie Pound-for-pound: Inoue No. 2
  • Odds: Inoue 11-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): *****
  • Also on the card: Jason Moloney vs. Yoshiki Takei, bantamweights (for Moloney’s WBO title); Takuma Inoue vs. Sho Ishida, bantamweights (for Inoue’s WBA title); Seigo Yuri Akui vs. Taku Kuwahara, flyweights (for Akui’s WBA title)
  • Background: Four-division titleholder Naoya Inoue, arguably the best fighter in the world pound-for-pound (he’s No. 2 on Boxing Junkie’s list), is riding a streak of seven consecutive knockouts against top-level opposition. That’s why the near-flawless 31-year-old Japanese star is around an 11-1 favorite over Luis Nery on Tuesday in Tokyo, meaning oddsmakers believe Nery has next to no chance to win the fight. “The Monster” is coming off a 10th-round knockout of Marlon Tapales to collect all four major 122-pound titles in December. Nery has won four consecutive fights since he was knocked out by Brandon Figueroa in the seventh round to lose the WBC belt in 2021. The 29-year-old Mexican southpaw last fought in July, when he stopped journeyman Froilan Saludar in two rounds. He outpointed Carlos Castro and then stopped David Carmona and Azat Hovhannisyan before the fight with Saludar. Figueroa lost his title to Stephen Fulton, who then lost them to Inoue.
  • Prediction: Inoue KO 8

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (17-3, 11 KOs)
VS. GEORGE KAMBOSOS JR. (21-2, 10 KOs)

  • Date: Saturday, May 11 (in U.S.)
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: RAC Arena, Perth
  • TV/Stream: ESPN+
  • Division: Lightweight (135 pounds)
  • At stake: Vacant IBF title
  • Boxing Junkie Pound-for-pound: Lomachenko No. 13
  • Odds: Lomachenko  5½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Significance (up to five stars): *****
  • Also on the card: Nina Hughes vs. Cherneka Johnson, bantamweights (for Hughes’ WBA title); Andrew Moloney vs. Pedro Guevara, junior bantamweights; Imam Khataev vs. Ricards Bolotniks, light heavyweights; Joe Goodall vs. Djanago Opelu, heavyweights
  • Background: Lomachenko, the 36-year-old boxing wizard from Ukraine, hasn’t held a major world title since he lost his 135-pound belts to Teofimo Lopez in 2020 yet is still considered one of the best boxers in the world. He bounced back from the loss by stopping Masayoshi Nakatani in June 2021 and then defeating Richard Commey by a one-sided decision that December. He has fought sporadically since Russia invaded his country in February 2022, entering the ring only twice. He easily outpointed Jamaine Ortiz in October of that year. Then the former three-division champion got his chance to regain past glory in a meeting with then-undisputed 135-pound champ Devin Haney in May of last year. Lomachenko gave a typically strong performance against his highly rated opponent but lost a disputed decision, 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113. He will get another crack at a belt against Kambosos in Australia. Kambosos shocked the boxing world by defeating Lopez to win a split decision and three 135-pound belts in 2021. It was downhill after that, as he lost back-to-back one-sided decisions to Haney. He rebounded to beat Maxi Hughes by a majority decision but he wasn’t convincing last July.
  • Prediction: Lomachenko UD

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

SATURDAY

  • Jessica McCaskill vs. Lauren Price, welterweights (for McCaskill’s WBA title), Cardiff, Wales (Peacock)
  • Eduardo Hernandez vs. Daniel Lugo, junior lightweights, Aguascalientes, Mexico
    DAZN
  • John Leonardo vs. Frank Gonzalez, junior featherweights, Atlantic City, New Jersey
    com

Vasiliy Lomachenko poised to reclaim another world title vs. George Kambosos Jr.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will have the opportunity to reclaim another world title when he faces George Kambosos Jr. on May 12.

Vasiliy Lomachenko is considered one of the best boxers in the world but he has lost his last two world title fights, decisions against Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and Devin Haney last May.

The Ukrainian star gets another opportunity to get it right this coming May 12. And most observers – including the oddsmakers – believe this is his best chance to have another major belt wrapped around his waist.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is scheduled to face former champ George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for one of the 135-pound titles Haney vacated (the IBF version) on that date in Perth, Australia, Kambosos’ home country.

Kambosos made a splash when he upset Lopez to become undisputed champion but that was followed by two one-sided decision losses to Haney in 2022 and a controversial majority decision nod over Maxi Hughes last July.

Lomachenko is about a 5½-1 favorite to beat Kambosos.

“I’m very happy to come back,” Lomachenko said during a virtual news conference Tuesday evening. “I’m very happy to be fighting there. This is the right fight because it’s a chance to be a world champion again.”

Lomachenko’s title-fight losses were bitter disappointments for him.

He lost his undisputed championship and position atop some pound-for-pound lists when he was upset by Lopez, who had to survive a fierce rally from Lomachenko to have his hand raised.

Lomachenko, who fought with an injured shoulder, insisted he did enough to win the fight but he was in the minority.

He then won three fights, over Masayoshi Nakatani, Richard Commey and Jamaine Ortiz, to earn a shot at Haney. Lomachenko gave a strong performance but he came up short again.

He did make a statement, however: He clearly remains a formidable technician, one who appears to be a threat to anyone even though he will turn 36 next month.

Kambosos understands the challenge he faces.

“I never step away from a challenge,” he said. “I always want to fight the best. And Vasiliy Lomachenko is a guy we have looked at for a very long time. This guy is a legend. The respect we have for him is huge.

“So to have this [fight] official now is extraordinary. I’m very motivated for this fight. I’m very excited, and I can’t wait.”

Of course, he has reason to be excited. As he put it, “This fight rejuvenates my career. This gives me my redemption.”

However, Lomachenko is the main focus on this show, the once-great fighter – possibly still great fighter – poised to claim the title “world champion” for a fourth time.

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Vasiliy Lomachenko poised to reclaim another world title vs. George Kambosos Jr.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will have the opportunity to reclaim another world title when he faces George Kambosos Jr. on May 12.

Vasiliy Lomachenko is considered one of the best boxers in the world but he has lost his last two world title fights, decisions against Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and Devin Haney last May.

The Ukrainian star gets another opportunity to get it right this coming May 12. And most observers – including the oddsmakers – believe this is his best chance to have another major belt wrapped around his waist.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is scheduled to face former champ George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for one of the 135-pound titles Haney vacated (the IBF version) on that date in Perth, Australia, Kambosos’ home country.

Kambosos made a splash when he upset Lopez to become undisputed champion but that was followed by two one-sided decision losses to Haney in 2022 and a controversial majority decision nod over Maxi Hughes last July.

Lomachenko is about a 5½-1 favorite to beat Kambosos.

“I’m very happy to come back,” Lomachenko said during a virtual news conference Tuesday evening. “I’m very happy to be fighting there. This is the right fight because it’s a chance to be a world champion again.”

Lomachenko’s title-fight losses were bitter disappointments for him.

He lost his undisputed championship and position atop some pound-for-pound lists when he was upset by Lopez, who had to survive a fierce rally from Lomachenko to have his hand raised.

Lomachenko, who fought with an injured shoulder, insisted he did enough to win the fight but he was in the minority.

He then won three fights, over Masayoshi Nakatani, Richard Commey and Jamaine Ortiz, to earn a shot at Haney. Lomachenko gave a strong performance but he came up short again.

He did make a statement, however: He clearly remains a formidable technician, one who appears to be a threat to anyone even though he will turn 36 next month.

Kambosos understands the challenge he faces.

“I never step away from a challenge,” he said. “I always want to fight the best. And Vasiliy Lomachenko is a guy we have looked at for a very long time. This guy is a legend. The respect we have for him is huge.

“So to have this [fight] official now is extraordinary. I’m very motivated for this fight. I’m very excited, and I can’t wait.”

Of course, he has reason to be excited. As he put it, “This fight rejuvenates my career. This gives me my redemption.”

However, Lomachenko is the main focus on this show, the once-great fighter – possibly still great fighter – poised to claim the title “world champion” for a fourth time.

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Weekend Review: George Kambosos Jr.’s limitations exposed again

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER George Kambosos Jr. Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
George Kambosos Jr.

Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one more big fight. Many will say he didn’t earn it, however. Hughes, a relative unknown from England, befuddled the former 135-pound champion with his clever counterpunching and footwork for most of the fight, which evidently led many to believe he had done enough to score an upset. That’s why the announcement of the decision was greeted with boos by an incredulous crowd and derision around the world. Nevertheless, Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back losses to undisputed champ Devin Haney, is in position to fight for a vacant title assuming Haney moves up to 140 pounds. He said he’d like to fight another former beltholder, Vasiliy Lomachenko. That would be his last hurrah. We must give Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) credit for his upset of Teofimo Lopez in 2021 even though Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. However, in three fights after that, he has proved to be ordinary fighter. He can’t beat Lomachenko let alone the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. The disparity in skill would be too vast. The guess here is that Kambosos will be remembered as a one-hit wonder.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

You have to feel for Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs). The 33-year-old southpaw received the opportunity of lifetime when he was selected to fight Kambosos and then did enough in the ring to have his hand raised. Alas, the judges stole what would’ve been a life-changing victory. That’s why he was so crestfallen after the fact. He’s a good fighter. My hope is that he made a strong enough impression to get another, even more lucrative opportunity. He earned it. … I have no idea what Kambosos-Hughes judge Josef Mason was watching. He had Kambosos winning 117-111, nine rounds to three. That simply didn’t reflect what happened in the ring. I won’t call for his head but he needs to go back to judging school before he works another important fight. … Rising young fighters generally accomplish one of two things in their fights: They make a statement or they have a valuable learning experience. Keyshawn Davis had the latter in his near-shutout decision over Francesco Patera on the Kambosos-Hughes card. Davis wasn’t spectacular but he dominated a good, durable opponent and was never in any kind of trouble. In fact, Patera could barely touch him. In the end, the fight was forgettable but Davis will be a better boxer because of it. …

ESPN reported that Haney plans to give up his undisputed 135-pound championship and move up to 140, at which he would face WBC beltholder Regis Prograis. Then, if emerges victorious in that fight, he would target Lopez, the new WBO champ, in what could amount to a super fight. I have no idea whether Haney’s plan will come to fruition but it certainly sounds intriguing. I would rather he fight Stevenson and/or Davis before he moves up in weight but it’s not as if he would be pursuing pushover opponents. Plus, the scramble to fill four titles at 135 would be a lot of fun given the talent at the top of the division. … Junior lightweight Edy Valencia Mercado of Mexico reportedly is in critical condition after his loss to George Acosta on Friday in Ontario, California. Our thoughts are with Mercado and those close to him.

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Weekend Review: George Kambosos Jr.’s limitations exposed again

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER George Kambosos Jr. Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
George Kambosos Jr.

Kambosos is a winner here because he was awarded a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes on Saturday in Shawnee, Oklahoma, which guarantees the Aussie at least one more big fight. Many will say he didn’t earn it, however. Hughes, a relative unknown from England, befuddled the former 135-pound champion with his clever counterpunching and footwork for most of the fight, which evidently led many to believe he had done enough to score an upset. That’s why the announcement of the decision was greeted with boos by an incredulous crowd and derision around the world. Nevertheless, Kambosos, who was coming off back-to-back losses to undisputed champ Devin Haney, is in position to fight for a vacant title assuming Haney moves up to 140 pounds. He said he’d like to fight another former beltholder, Vasiliy Lomachenko. That would be his last hurrah. We must give Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) credit for his upset of Teofimo Lopez in 2021 even though Lopez fought with a dangerous health condition. However, in three fights after that, he has proved to be ordinary fighter. He can’t beat Lomachenko let alone the likes of Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis. The disparity in skill would be too vast. The guess here is that Kambosos will be remembered as a one-hit wonder.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

You have to feel for Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs). The 33-year-old southpaw received the opportunity of lifetime when he was selected to fight Kambosos and then did enough in the ring to have his hand raised. Alas, the judges stole what would’ve been a life-changing victory. That’s why he was so crestfallen after the fact. He’s a good fighter. My hope is that he made a strong enough impression to get another, even more lucrative opportunity. He earned it. … I have no idea what Kambosos-Hughes judge Josef Mason was watching. He had Kambosos winning 117-111, nine rounds to three. That simply didn’t reflect what happened in the ring. I won’t call for his head but he needs to go back to judging school before he works another important fight. … Rising young fighters generally accomplish one of two things in their fights: They make a statement or they have a valuable learning experience. Keyshawn Davis had the latter in his near-shutout decision over Francesco Patera on the Kambosos-Hughes card. Davis wasn’t spectacular but he dominated a good, durable opponent and was never in any kind of trouble. In fact, Patera could barely touch him. In the end, the fight was forgettable but Davis will be a better boxer because of it. …

ESPN reported that Haney plans to give up his undisputed 135-pound championship and move up to 140, at which he would face WBC beltholder Regis Prograis. Then, if emerges victorious in that fight, he would target Lopez, the new WBO champ, in what could amount to a super fight. I have no idea whether Haney’s plan will come to fruition but it certainly sounds intriguing. I would rather he fight Stevenson and/or Davis before he moves up in weight but it’s not as if he would be pursuing pushover opponents. Plus, the scramble to fill four titles at 135 would be a lot of fun given the talent at the top of the division. … Junior lightweight Edy Valencia Mercado of Mexico reportedly is in critical condition after his loss to George Acosta on Friday in Ontario, California. Our thoughts are with Mercado and those close to him.

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