Haney vs Kambosos 2: Devin Haney wins bloody and brutal world title rematch
Devin Haney was just too good, claiming another win over George Kambosos after a brutal and bloody battle.
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GEORGE Kambosos‘ career is in tatters after American sensation Devin Haney dished out a more brutal form of punishment to dominate their rematch in a Rod Laver Arena bloodbath.
Usually the scene of serene tennis matches, the home of the Australian Open turned into a boxing battlefield as Kambosos went to war with Haney in a desperate bid to avenge his first loss at Marvel Stadium in June.
But the Spartan warrior was outclassed once again, this time in a more savage fashion as ‘The Dream’ Haney (29-0, 15KO) consigned Kambosos (20-2, 10KO) to a second consecutive nightmare in Melbourne.
The first fight at Marvel was a fizzer. This was a ferocious firecracker over 12 blood-and-thunder rounds.
The 23-year-old American underlined why he is the youngest undisputed champion of the four-belt era, claiming a unanimous points decision (119-109, 118-110, 118-110) to reclaim his IBF, WBC, WBO and WBA Super lightweight belts.
But Kambosos was far from disgraced, with the 29-year-old rolling the dice with a more aggressive style that saw him rock Haney with a number of shots and, in turn, left him in danger of being knocked out.
In the end, a battered and bloodied Kambosos did well to remain standing.
If Haney was an icy-cool surgeon in the first fight, this time he was a big-punching butcher.
At Marvel, it was his left hand. At Rod Laver Arena, it was his stinging right which belted Kambosos.
The judges gave Haney 10 or 11 rounds and it was an apt barometer of a fight which confirmed the American as one of the greatest fighters of his generation.
“I knew he was looking for the jab so I wanted to show other parts of my arsenal,” Haney said.
“When he first came out, I didn‘t expect him to be switching (to southpaw) but I worked out his angles.
“Against a southpaw, the right hand is a weapon and that‘s what happened.
“He is a warrior. I take my hat off to George Kambosos.
“They said I only had a jab, but this time I showed I can also use my right hand.”
The loss was ‘Ferocious’ second consecutive loss to Haney and leaves his world-title aspirations in disarray - just 11 months after his stunning upset of Teofimo Lopez to become a world champion.
“He is a great fighter. To have the guts to go again ... he is slick, he is a great boxer,” Kambosos said.
“I tried my best, I gave my heart to the sport. I‘ve had three big fights within a year.”
After an explosive build-up at the weigh-in, both fighters flagged more fireworks in the return bout after the vanilla of the first fight and they lived up to their promise.
Kambosos had to show more urgency and he was the first to try his luck, claiming the opening round with a late flurry that had Haney on the back foot.
Haney, cool as an Alaskan winter, hit back in the second, holding his nerve to dominate the round with a sweet left that rocked Kambosos, who also felt the sting of the American‘s right hand.
The Dream turned up the heat, easily winning the third, showing he could brawl as well as box. Kambosos was taking more chances and Haney happily engaged him, going toe-to-toe with a vicious right hand that tagged Ferocious on several occasions.
In a bid to counter Haney‘s equal ferocity, Kambosos kept switching to southpaw, somehow trying to unlock the American puzzle, but the 23-year-old grew in confidence with each round.
Entering the middle rounds, Kambosos maintained his up-tempo, aggressive strategic approach, but every time he landed a promising shot, Haney relished combat in the trenches, dropping bomb after bomb with his right.
Haney produced the punch of the first half of the fight in the sixth, unleashing a brutal straight hand which could have easily knocked out a lesser man than Kambosos, who was showing admirable guts in a desperate bid to penetrate the champion‘s class.
Courageous to the end, Kambosos kept Haney honest with a brilliant left body shot in the seventh, but by the end of the round, Ferocious‘ face was beginning to swell in an eerily similar fashion to their Marvel outing.
The eighth was Kambosos‘ best round of the contest, landing a big right in the final second which buckled his rival and ignited the Rod Laver Arena crowd as a cut appeared over Haney’s right eye.
With blood also seeping from the right side of Kambosos‘ head, the final stretch became a bloody, brutally brilliant streetfight.
The ninth was loose and lethal and the tenth was an exhibition of magnificent Haney savagery, the champion ripping into Kambosos with a slew of stinging shots as the Sydneysider wobbled around the ring, blood streaming from his battered face.
There was a feeling Kambosos would fail to finish the fight, but he showed extreme toughness to go the distance as Haney emphatically closed the door on their rivalry.
“We had a fantastic game plan. No excuses,” he said.
“I was a much better fighter this time. I came out flying and landed some good shots and thought I had changed the fight, but he just kept adapting.
“I‘m proud I challenged this champion for 24 rounds. Devin will be around for a long time.”
HANEY-KAMBOSOS 2 - AS IT HAPPENED
Round twelve - Haney just needed to stay out of danger and he’d win. That’s precisely what he did, taking no chances in the final three minutes as Kambosos searched in vain for the stoppage.
Round eleven - More of the same, with Haney landing big rights and a desperate Kambosos looking for the knockout blow.
Round ten - What incredible heart from George Kambosos. He was hurt badly in the opening minute of the round, and looked close to being stopped, but fought back just when it seemed all hope was lost.
A bloody mess at the end of the round, Kambosos did well to see the end of the round.
.@GeorgeKambosos bringing the crowd to their feet 😳#HaneyKambosos2 | LIVE on @ESPNpic.twitter.com/yB5fKUM8DK
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 16, 2022
Round nine - Haney is cut over his right eye from the headclash. Kambosos is back to the Ferocious of old, throwing with power and desperation, turning it into a war. Another big right hurt Haney with a minute left as they talked smack to one another.
If Kambosos lands one of these shots flush, there could be a stoppage. But, Haney is landing massive right hands on the counter.
Round eight - A slower round, but Kambosos had a brilliant moment landing with a big right hand in the final 20 seconds. The shot buckled Haney, who backed up until the bell.
There was also a clash of heads, leaving both fighters bleeding.
Round seven - One of Haney’s best rounds. He landed the right hand so well, despite Kambosos being willing to walk through the fire to land his own shots.
Round six - Kambosos’ pace has slowed here, allowing Haney to fight more at his preferred range. Despite having some success targeting the body, it’s unlikely the Aussie will break Haney down - the American is too good - but his left hook remains a constant threat.
“Do you want to win this fight? Then what the f**k are you doing???” Kambosos’ dad, Jim asked after round six.
Round five - Kambosos’ left hook has looked dangerous so far, connecting with Haney’s jaw at the end of the fourth round. But Haney still looks as though he has more in his arsenal, countering well and using his famous jab.
🎯 @RealDevinHaney is finding his sweet spot. #HaneyKambosos2pic.twitter.com/FOOeC4KOVl
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 16, 2022
Round four - The high-paced action continues, with Kambosos maintaining his switch-hitting approach. He has landed a couple of nice body shots, but is taking a bit of punishment.
Round three - Whatever happens, George Kambosos isn’t going to die wondering. He’s keeping the pressure on, despite Haney landing brilliantly with his counter-right.
There’s been more action in three rounds than there was in the first fight already.
Round two - A good one for Haney. Kambosos is still moving well and looking aggressive, but Haney landed a big right hand, and a powerful hook.
In commentary, Jeff Fenech said, with the aggression both fighters are showing, he wouldn’t be surprised to see a knockout.
Round one - It’s a much more relaxed looking Kambosos in round one. He moves well and switches to southpaw on several occasions. The Aussie is noticeably more aggressive than the first fight, but Haney is giving as good as he gets. The crowd goes wild in the final few seconds of the round as Kambosos lands some nice shots.
2:23pm - Both men are in the ring, we’ve got the final introductions and then we’re ready to fight!
2:10pm - Anthem time. We’ve got three today: Australia, Greece and America.
2:01pm - The undercard is done and dusted and we’re waiting for Kambosos and Haney’s ringwalks!
1:58pm - Jason Moloney scores a unanimous decision, 12-round bout over Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai. The numbers one and two in the world, it was essentially a bantamweight world title eliminator.
This was the last fight before the main event, with Kambosos and Haney both wrapped and warming up.
Almost that time again â³@RealDevinHaney x #HaneyKambosos2pic.twitter.com/PwOgU00EJt
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 16, 2022
12:48pm - Andrew Moloney scores a unanimous decision win over a tough and awkward Nolberto Jimenez, putting him one step closer to fighting for a super flyweight world title.
In a wild start, Jimenez was caught by a low blow, deducted a point for hitting after the break, and was sent to the canvas inside the first round. A spiteful contest, Jimenez was knocked down again later in the fight as Moloney scored his fourth consecutive win since his trilogy against Joshua Franco.
11:52am - So. Much. Blood.
Kiwi born boxer Cherneka ‘Sugar Neeks’ Johnson was forced to fight through adversity and a gallon of blood in her IBF super bantamweight world title defence against Susie Ramadan on the Haney-Kambosos undercard in Melbourne.
Johnson picked up the horror cut in a second round head-clash.
Blood immediately began pouring down her head and into her left eye.
In commentary, Aussie boxing legend Jeff Fenech and commentator Ben Damon thought the bout should have been called off, but the ringside doctor inspected the gash and allowed her to continue for the third round.
After some impressive corner work, during which vaseline was plugged into the cut, Johnson was allowed to fight into the fourth. Stunningly, she floored Ramadan in the final seconds of the round.
Even more surprisingly, the blood seemed to stop flowing by the sixth round, and Johnson’s speed advantage was on full display.
“I really dug deep, I nearly freaked out when I felt all the blood running down,” Johnson said after the fight.
“When it first started, I couldn’t see out my left eye. But I knew if I used my jab and stayed away from a brawl I’d be okay.”
Having already been dropped, Ramadan was deducted a point in round seven and round eight for repeatedly punching in the back of the head and holding, meaning she needed a knockout to claim a win.
The white top Johnson wore turned a reddish pink as the blood dripped down her body as she scored a unanimous decision win to retain the world title she won earlier this year.
It was an emotional win for Johnson, whose brother died in a violent incident in Brisbane just a month ago.
“This was a dedication to my brother. I’m so glad I got the job done. I know he here’s here in my corner with me,” she said.
A little blood won't stop @SugarNeekz 🥶#HaneyKambosos2 | Undercard LIVE on @ESPNPluspic.twitter.com/s6Ci1ny2g3
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) October 16, 2022
Ramadan was frustrated at the two points she had deducted, and drew the boos of the crowd with a shock post-fight comment.
“I hope I get another chance, hopefully in my weight division too, because these girls are a little bit too big,” she said.
“We’ll hopefully get her tested too, because I’ve been told she’s on it. So, we’ll see.”
The Rod Laver Arena crowd booed the comments, with Australian boxing veteran Barry Michael also unhappy.
“Very stunned,” Michael said. “Pretty poor sportsmanship, to be honest.
“Suzie lost the plot, that’s the bottom line.”
10:45am - WOW!! Brisbane-based Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu - the boxing scaffolder - beats Auckland’s Hemi Ahio.
It was a brutal battle on the inside with plenty of heavy leather traded before the referee stopped it 1:21 into the fourth round, handing Ahio his first ever defeat.
it was a pretty early stoppage and Ahio wasn’t happy at first.
Opelu is the former Australian heavyweight champion, losing the belt to Justis Huni in 2020.
10:20am - Kiwi cruiserweight David Nyika has scored a devastating second round knockout on the undercard to the lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and George Kambosos at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
A rising star of New Zealand boxing, Nyika sustained a nasty cut under his right eye, the result of a head-clash earlier on.
Using his size and reach, Nyika connected with a perfect one-two, dropping opponent Tito Motusaga in scary fashion.
The fight was over immediately, with Motusaga taking well over a minute to regain his feet.
The Auckland-based Motusaga eventually got back up and was able to walk out of the ring.
Nyika vs Motusaga. Undercard. #HaneyKambosos2 . pic.twitter.com/01SwEKlJ9V
— Hugh Macleod (@HughMacloud) October 15, 2022
Nyika is a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and claimed a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics last year.
The product of Hamilton has spent considerable time training alongside Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker in the UK.
10:03am - Team Haney make it two wins from two fights with Baltimore’s Lorenzo Simpson scoring a six-round unanimous decision win over New Zealand’s Marcus Heywood.
The Kiwi Heywood - who has the best moustache on the whole fight card, took some serious punishment, but dished out a fair bit of his own too.
9:35am - Amari Jones scores a one-sided unanimous decision win over scrappy veteran Tej Singh as the action gets underway at Rod Laver Arena.
And we are on the air for the undercard to #HaneyKambosos2 - catch it live now on @FOXSportsAUS and book @MainEventTV for the rematch of the Undisputed Lightweight Championship of the World.
— Warren Smith (@WarrenSmithFOX) October 15, 2022
An early win for #TeamHaney with Amari Jones victorious against Tej Singh. pic.twitter.com/vOC3tBY3Vc
Haney vs Kambosos 2 results
Devin Haney def George Kambosos via UD
Jason Moloney def Nawaphan Sor Rungvisai via UD
Andrew Moloney def Nolberto Jimenez via UD
Cherneka Johnson def Suzie Ramadan via UD
Faiga Opelu def Hemi Ahio via Rd4 TKO
David Nyika def Tito Motusaga via Rd2 KO
Lorenzo Simpson def Marcus Heywood via UD
Amari Jones def Tej Singh via UD
Originally published as Haney vs Kambosos 2: Devin Haney wins bloody and brutal world title rematch
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