Boxing 2022: George Kambosos vs Devin Haney, US star’s camp fires savage sledge at Aussie fighter
The tension between George Kambosos and Devin Haney spilled over at their world-title rematch weigh in when they - and their teams - had to be separated.
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George Kambosos’ father has slammed Devin Haney’s camp as a pack of “hyenas” after an ugly weigh-in melee broke out in the lead-up to Sunday’s world-title re-match in Melbourne.
Kambosos looked mentally sharp and physically ripped as he tipped the scales at 134.04 pounds, comfortably making weight for the 135-pound, four-belt blockbuster at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday.
But the weigh-in degenerated into classic fight chaos with the rival Kambosos and Haney camps almost coming to blows following a tense face-off between the pumped-up fighters.
Haney edged forward to flex for the cameras before Kambosos slightly nudged the American attempting to steal his posing thunder.
The Haney camp jumped in and tensions escalated as Kambosos’ team rushed in, with fight promoter Lou DiBella desperately trying to keep the fighters from a full-scale punch up.
Jim Kambosos claimed Haney’s chief security guard gave his son “three little punches” during a melee he believes is a sign the boxer’s American contingent, led by father Bill, is getting carried with The Dream’s champion status.
“I know Bill Haney well and he and his whole team of hyenas are rattled,” Kambosos fired.
“The silence George has maintained for this fight build-up, it’s getting to them.
“Devin would be looking at his dad and thinking, ‘You are carrying on like an idiot’.
“The boys were facing off after weighing in, it’s very tense, then Bill lost his s***.
“He is so frustrated.
“I’ve told the Victorian police that Haney’s security guard’s kevlar gloves which he wears are totally illegal.
“Those gloves have the ability to seriously injure someone.
“When the boys were at each other, his security guard gave George three small punches to his chest with those gloves on.
“Our military operation is working. We aren’t ruffled by it.”
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The equally fit Haney, who weighed in at 134.81 pounds, strode off the scales, stared down Kambosos and promised to “f*** you up”, but ‘Ferocious’ is up for the fight.
Kambosos Snr believes Haney had issues making weight for the re-match and is adamant his Sydneysider son is in the shape of his life to pull off a boilover.
“Devin has struggled with his weight for this fight,” he said.
“Rumours are he was struggling to make weight the night before weigh in. Our approach has frustrated them.
“I have been around George my whole life and I have never seen him in this shape before.
“He made weight so easily this time.
“It’s the strongest I have seen his physique and how fresh he looks in the face.
“George is absolutely ready. There are no excuses, he is on point and I know he will be better than he was last time.”
The last weigh-in for their unification bout at Marvel Stadium in June was a disaster for Kambosos.
The 29-year-old came in overweight for the first time in his career at 135.36 pounds and while he eventually made weight after a two-hour window to drop 165 grams, it was a sign that the promotional hoopla had distracted Kambosos’ preparation.
This time, Kambosos has had a laser focus slogging away in the shadows _ and the evidence was there to see in his body and mind.
Weigh-ins are never a guarantee of a title-winning performance but Kambosos is clearly in better shape and says he is ready to emulate his Teofimo Lopez heroics by upsetting Haney to become a four-belt unification legend.
“I have put in the work _ there’s a statement right there,” Kambosos said of his supreme condition.
“I have not shown myself off on social media so I could save myself for the weigh-in.
CHAOS IN MELBOURNE AS HANEY & KAMBOSOS ERUPT 😤 pic.twitter.com/gynO7t87I7
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 14, 2022
“A few people who have seen me said, ‘You are in the best shape I have ever seen you’ and I can honestly say this preparation has been the best of my career.
“I had to take some hard lessons from the first fight against Haney and I have done that.
“I will beat Haney this time. I honestly believe it.
“This is like Lopez (his shock world-title triumph last year) all over again.
“I will fight back and I will get revenge on Devin Haney.”
Compared to their first showdown, there is more spice, tension and crackle between Kambosos and Haney. DiBella is adamant the rematch will deliver more fireworks after a Marvel fight that lacked sizzle as Haney calmly jabbed his way to victory.
“There was nothing staged about that. It was real,” DiBella said of the Kambosos-Haney melee.
“I don’t think George was ready to fight last time but this time he is.
“He looks completely different to the first fight. He is ripped. Will it matter? We will find out on Sunday.
“George is in there with a defensive genius. That being said, he knows what he has to do this time to beat Haney.
“There will be a lot more passion and fire in this fight and what we saw on stage is a reflection of that.”
Kambosos is a $5.50 outsider with bookmakers and if he fails to navigate Haney’s precision jab, the American will leave the Sydneysider’s career at the crossroads.
But Ferocious believes he can overcome Haney’s class with the competitive fire, fitness and savage counter-punching that made him a world champion.
“Haney is a great champion, a great boxer, no doubt, but this time I have blocked the noise out,” Kambosos said.
“Devin is a sharpshooter, he has no power.
“The fight before him, I was in the ring with a guy who can punch in Teofimo Lopez. Haney cannot punch like Lopez.
“This time I am a huge underdog and that’s how I love it.
“I am going back into the fire and I will shock the boxing world all over again.”
KAMBOSOS’ ‘SHOCK’ WARNING FOR FIERY HANEY CAMP
Boxing legend Jeff Fenech has detailed his feud with George Kambosos as ‘Ferocious’ was sensationally accused of ripping off his own training staff in a fiery build-up to his world-title rematch with Devin Haney.
The lead-up to the return bout at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sunday took an explosive twist when Haney’s father Bill fired a stinging barb at the Kambosos camp, claiming they fail to pay their bills.
Bill Haney’s sledge came as Fenech opened up about tensions with Kambosos, revealing he was banned from commentating on the Sydneysider’s first fight against Haney in June.
Fenech, one of Australia’s greatest boxers, has been a key plank in Fox’s boxing coverage for more than a decade. But on the day of one of the biggest fights in Australian history, Fenech was nowhere to be seen among 40,000 spectators at Marvel Stadium when Haney and Kambosos entered the ring.
Instead, hall-of-famer Fenech was locked out, providing expert analysis from outside the venue. This time, with Kambosos having lost his belts to Haney — and control of proceedings — Fenech will be ringside calling the rematch for Main Event.
Fenech says he is happy to bury the hatchet with Kambosos (20-1, 10KO) and hopes the deposed world champion can avenge his loss to Haney (28-0, 15KO) with a four-belt boilover at Rod Laver Arena.
“I will be part of the commentary team this time,” Fenech said.
“I wasn’t part of the main commentary team last time because George didn’t want me there.
“I was forced outside Marvel Stadium.
“I don’t know what George’s issue is.
“Maybe he doesn’t like me telling the truth because I just call things as I see them.
“I tried to ring and fix things up, but George didn’t want to know about it at the time because he was a world champion.
“This time, George can’t stop me being there because he isn’t the world champion, but I will call the fight as I always do and I wish George all the best.”
While Kambosos was loud and bullish before their first fight, this time the roles have been reversed.
Undisputed lightweight champion Haney has spent the week needling Kambosos, who has refused to take the bait, and the goading continued on Friday.
Kambosos has previously recited phrases from the Art of War book and Haney senior produced the tome at the official press conference, ‘gifting’ it to the 29-year-old, who swatted it off the table.
Kambosos has changed his training staff for the return bout and Bill Haney questioned why, claiming the Australian camp is full of cheap excuses.
“What’s the next excuse? You didn’t pay nobody?” Haney said, staring down Kambosos’ father Jim.
“Is he (Kambosos) going to make weight this time?
“Are you going to counterpunch or are you going to fight?
“If he comes to fight, he will get his ass whipped.”
It was almost a year ago that Kambosos shocked the world with his upset of Teofimo Lopez and he warned the Haney camp not to get too cocky.
“Be careful. I will shock the world again,” he said.
“I’ve been doubted many times, but this time there have been no distractions.
“I will be going back to the old Ferocious Kambosos.”
Devin Haney says he will have no trouble consigning Kambosos to a second consecutive defeat.
“I might be one of the best defensive fighters in boxing but on Sunday I will be showing more offence,” he said.
“They have been quiet this time but every time they open their mouth it’s a different excuse. First it was the referee, now it’s their coach, they have every excuse in the book.
“I will show him once again, I’m a better fighter.”
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