Boxing news: George Kambosos Jr can be Australia’s next Jeff Fenech, trainer Johnny Lewis says
Johnny Lewis has held pads for hundreds of boxers. The first day he held them for George Kambosos, he knew he was training a future world champion.
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He has inspired the next generation of Australian boxers and set himself up for huge bouts in future, and newly crowned lightweight king George Kambosos Jr deserves to defend his belts in Australia after a four-year hiatus.
That is the declaration of legendary trainer Johnny Lewis, who was one of a handful of people who truly believed Kambosos Jr would defeat Teofimo Lopez last weekend at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“That has got to be right up there with one of the greatest performances ever by an Australian boxer,” Lewis said.
“He was in with a bloke who had never been beaten, in his backyard, and in my opinion he was a comfortable winner.
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“What Jeff Fenech did was marvellous. Jeff was very determined and disciplined, and he could have beaten any featherweight in any era.
“Now George has to continue on, but he’s every chance and he can emulate Jeff and become an all-time great.
“He has to try to back up every opponent who wants to take those belts off him, but there’s a lot to enjoy about George and I really hope his next fight is in Australia.”
Having taken the long, hard road overseas since his last bout in Australia in 2017, Kambsos Jr (20-0, 10KO) is adamant he’ll defend his WBA, WBO, IBF and The Ring lightweight titles at home having won a split decision against Lopez.
He previously defeated Lee Selby in London, Mickey Bey in New York, Richard Pena in Athens and Rey Perez in Las Vegas.
Kambosos Jr hopes to fight in Sydney or Melbourne at a packed Stadium Australia or Melbourne Cricket Ground, with a list of stars lining up to take their shot at the 28-year-old.
Among them is the undefeated Devin Haney, who holds the only other recognised belt in the division, the WBC title.
Haney (26-0, 15KO) defends that belt against Joseph Diaz this weekend in Las Vegas, where Kambosos Jr will be watching from ringside.
Super-featherweight star Shakur Stevenson (17-0, 9KO) has already called out Kambosos Jr and says he is willing to have that fight in Australia.
And the dangerous Gervonta Davis (25-0, 24KO) is a major threat in the lightweight division, and will fight Isaac Cruz on December 12 defending his WBA World title and would be targeting Kambosos Jr next year if successful.
Lewis, who trained Fenech, Kostya Tszyu, Jeff Harding and Gairy St Clair to world title wins, said he knew Kambosos Jr would become a world champion years ago when he held pads for him.
“Gairy St Clair set it up and said ‘This guy will go all day with you’, I went up for the challenge it had been 30 years since I’d seen someone who could just go, go, go,” Lewis said.
“I marvelled at him, I’d seen him fight, but I said then this kid will be a world champion.”
Lewis is now training Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist Harry Garside, who makes his professional debut on December 22 on the Paul Gallen vs Darcy Lussick undercard.
“He’s set the bar for Australian fighters,” Garside said of Kambosos Jr.
“It’s exactly what Australia needed, he’s at the top of the echelon now and every young fighter is looking at that and wants to achieve greatness just like that so good on George, he deserves it.”
Kambosos Jr slams ‘delusional’ Lopez after historic upset
Sydney slugger George Kambosos Jr has shocked the world, pulling off the biggest win in Australian boxing history.
On a day of drama in New York, ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos rocked Madison Square Garden to its foundations with a stunning upset of raging favourite Teofimo Lopez to claim the WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring lightweight titles.
The hard-punching Lopez entered the fight unbeaten from 16 professional fights, 12 by knockout, and warned Kambosos Jr he would knock him out in the first round following a drama-charged build-up headlined by the Triller contract debacle.
But Kambosos Jr. showed the warrior instincts of his Greek forefathers, reducing Madison Square Garden to deathly silence when he dropped a cocky Lopez in the opening round.
The 28-year-old then continued his boxing masterclass, withstanding a furious late riposte from Lopez, who dropped Kambosos Jr in the 10th round, to claim a superb split decision victory (115-111, 115-112 and 113-114).
A furious Lopez later claimed he was robbed but Kambosos slammed the American as delusional as he maintained his perfect record (20-0, 10KO) and saluted the greatest triumph in Australian boxing history.
“I am the greatest fighter in Australian history, I have all four belts,” Kambosos Jr declared, fighting back tears as his entourage slapped all four belts around him.
“We worked unbelievably, every day I got better and better and I didn’t take my foot off the pedal.
“This is for my kids and my grandfather, George Kambosos passed away two months ago. My whole family is here with me.
“All respect to Teofimo, we are competitive guys, but it was my night. I’m not the king. I’m the emperor because I come in and take everyone out.
“If you don’t believe in yourself, you will never get this far.”
Irate at the decision, Lopez stormed over and grabbed the microphone while Kambosos Jr was mid-interview to claim he was the rightful victor.
“You are a hell of a fighter, but I won this fight. Everybody knows that. The referee held up my hand,” Lopez said.
“At the end of the day, I have been here and done it. I ain’t no sore loser. I am a true champion and came and did what I had to do.
“It’s boxing. But I know how these people (judges) work, everybody knew I won.
“I don’t believe it was close at all. I scored it 10-2.”
Lopez clearly took too many punches to the head, with Kambosos Jr. visibly more active throughout the fight as he backed his work ethic, fitness and competitive fire to go toe-to-toe with the divisional kingpin.
The Australian showed his guts from the outset, withstanding an early flurry from Lopez to catch him with a sweet right that dropped the Brooklyn brawler in the opening round.
By the seventh round, Kambosos Jr. was in front on points, surprising Lopez with his counterpunching, workrate and desperation inspired by the death of his grandfather earlier this year.
Lopez stormed home in the back half of the fight, taking the Sydneysider apart in the ninth round before dropping him to the canvas in the 10th.
But with Ferocious seemingly out on his feet, Kambosos Jr found his second wind and, sensing a boilover, launched a desperate comeback, trading on his fitness to outpunch a fading Lopez in the final two rounds.
Kambosos earned around $2 million from this fight but no amount of money can do justice to an upset that will go down in the annals of Australian boxing folklore.
Asked if he feared Lopez would finish him in the 11th round, Kambosos said: “No. I wasn’t hurt, I looked at my team and I said I will punish this kid and win the next two rounds. Teofimo is a great fighter but I was better.
“I was trying to entertain the fans too much. I was too sharp, too fast, too strong, but I got caught and what a warrior, I got back up against the odds and still finished the fight and won the last two rounds.”
As Lopez celebrated victory, Kambosos Jr hit back, having the final word as he challenged the beaten champion to a re-match.
“You are a bit delusional brother,” he said.
“I won the fight fair and square, look at your face. Take it like a champ.
“Let’s do it again in Australia … 80,000 people, me and you brother, what a war we will have again.”
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