Win or retire: Former American boxing stars’ stunning ultimatum for George Kambosos
Former American boxing stars are calling for George Kambosos to retire should he lose to Vasiliy Lomachenko on Sunday afternoon, but the Aussie says it’s not something he’ll have to worry about.
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George Kambosos is under attack from a posse of former American boxing stars who have called for the Australian to retire if he is beaten in Sunday’s world-title blockbuster against Vasiliy Lomachenko.
But a fired-up Kambosos has hit back at his critics and says he is ready to pull off another Teofimo Lopez-style boilover by upsetting the Ukraine legend at a sold-out, 16,000-capacity RAC Arena in Perth.
Boxing: Lomachenko v Kambosos IBF Lightweight World Title Fight | Sunday, 12 MAY 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
The egotistical eyeballing dragged on so long that former heavyweight world champion Lucas Browne — also fighting on the card — intervened in a bid to separate the lightweight rivals.
Kambosos is adamant he will send Lomachenko, 36, into retirement, but former two-time world champion Shawn Porter, now a Fox Sports boxing analyst, fears ‘Ferocious’ is headed for a career-defining fall.
“Even though the fight is in his homeland of Australia, I don’t think that this is a fight that is built for Kambosos to win,” said Porter, the ex-American welterweight king.
“Boxing has found a belt that is free for him to go and get. This is a victory lap and a victory tour for Vasiliy.
“I don’t see Kambosos becoming this action-packed star he was three years ago when he beat Teofimo Lopez.
“This is simply Loma’s victory lap and we will all salute him and not expect too much from Kambosos.
“In terms of styles, this is not a fight that is built for him (Kambosos) to dazzle the crowd.”
In the lead-up to this battle for the IBF lightweight world title, Kambosos has waged a social-media war of words with former American welterweight Paul Malignaggi, who says Lomachenko will bury the 30-year-old Sydneysider.
“I don’t think I have ever seen anyone maximise one win so well,” said Malignaggi, referencing Kambosos’ epic boilover of Lopez in November 2021, before he lost his titles to Devin Haney.
“Kambosos pulled off a big upset, it was a special night for him and he will always have that win.
“But George barely won a round against Haney in two fights and then the fight against Maxi Hughes (last year), he won a handful of rounds and somehow got the decision.
“I am happy that Kambosos is setting up his retirement, but I think he barely wins a round in this fight against Lomachenko and I feel like he should retire after this fight.”
Kambosos (21-2, 10KO) has never been stopped in his 23-fight career and has a height and reach advantage over Lomachenko, who started his career at featherweight.
“Our careers are on the line here,” he said. “I believe I have the style to beat Lomachenko. There will be no stepping back.
“When I beat Lomachenko, there’ll be no more roads for him to go. This is retirement for him.
“The way I’m sparring, the way I’m firing on every engine. The speed that I have – he’s never seen this kind of speed and explosive power.
“The will, the heart I have, the desire to win this fight, I want this bad.
“Hall of Fame status is on the line here. Legacy is on the line and the way this has happened for me, it’s destiny.”
Of their marathon stare-down, Kambosos detected weakness, saying: “I could see he was starting to move, the face was starting to move around. He was having those thoughts: ‘I don’t want to do this all day, I want to go back to my room in the hotel.’”
But Lomachenko, a dual Olympic gold medallist who won world titles in three different weight classes after just 12 fights, was bored by what he saw as cheap talk from Kambosos.
“This wasn’t the first time that I’ve stayed too long on the face-off. If he wants to play, then okay, I’m ready,” he said.
“I am still hungry. I have a goal and I need this belt.
“I need to win this. I still have the motivation.”
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Originally published as Win or retire: Former American boxing stars’ stunning ultimatum for George Kambosos
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