George Kambosos legal battle with Triller could cost the Aussie $1m
Australian boxer George Kambosos has shed some light on the ‘stressful’ contractual farce that hit him in the hip pocket - and provided motivation for his world title bid.
Boxing/MMA
Don't miss out on the headlines from Boxing/MMA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
“I’M a fighter, not a mafia figure.”
With those words, George Kambosos has conquered the biggest contractual farce in boxing - and now the unbeaten Australian lightweight plans to conquer the world by delivering the knockout blow to American champion Teofimo Lopez.
Speaking out on his messy legal wrangle, Kambosos has pledged to bring the WBA, IBF and WBO belts back home after navigating the messy Triller debacle that threatened to shred the Sydney slugger’s reputation.
Kambosos was accused of trying to “shake down” Triller, who won the rights to host the world-title bout with an $8.3 million bid. But when Triller made a series of scheduling changes, not to mention contract variations with the fighters, Kambosos took legal action.
He has been vindicated, with the IBF ruling Triller in default, and while the hosting-rights transfer to Matchroom has cost Kambosos an estimated $1 million in earnings, the Australian’s “honour” is intact.
The showdown is now slated for November 13 and Kambosos (19-0, 10KO) is adamant he will dispose of Lopez (16-0, 12KO) to prove ‘Ferocious’, not Tim Tszyu, is Australian boxing’s kingpin.
“This is the last hurdle to climb to be world champion. There is 36 minutes (12 rounds) to go and then it’s mission complete,” said Kambosos, who will pocket more than $2 million.
“It was a great decision by the IBF. Triller was in default of the contract so now Matchroom has picked up the event and they will be promoting the fight. They are looking at a time in November, but I’d be ready today if the fight was on.
“I was never ripping anyone off. Triller said I tried to shake them down. What do they think I am, part of the mafia or something?
“I’m a fighter, not a mafia figure.
“It’s been pretty stressful.
“At the end of the day, I will walk away with about $2.2 million which is life-changing.
“It is a great reward for all the hard work. This money sets up my wife and three kids for the future, but I’m really here for the legacy and these beautiful belts which I will be bringing home to Australia.”
Kambosos is currently training in Sydney and the Triller impasse had a silver lining. The fight delay enabled the 28-year-old to stay home for the birth of his third child and attend the funeral of grandfather George, who recently passed away.
“Everything is destiny,” he said.
“To show you how hungry I am to win this ... I had the birth of my child and then I lost my grandfather, it was such a bitter-sweet experience.
“The day my grandfather died, I was back training the same night.
“I train extremely hard. There is no other athlete in the country that puts his body through hell like I do. I have a very strict routine. I put my body through mass amounts of pain and sacrifice to make sure when I rock up to the fight, that I’m 100 per cent ready for whatever my opponent brings.
“The Triller stuff is history, but the good thing is they have given me mainstream exposure around the world because of this drama.
“When my name is in the lights in the US, I’m the face of Australian boxing.”
Lopez has produced some brutal stoppages but Kambosos is adamant he will expose some technical flaws to join Australia’s stable of boxing world champions.
“When I get my hands on Lopez, I will win this fight. I will take his head off,” he said.
“Lopez’s highlights were against nobodies. When you start to watch his bigger fights and break them down, you see the holes, you see the mistakes.
“I have analysed everything 100 per cent. I can exploit his mistakes and that’s why I will beat him.
“I’ve had more professional fights, I’ve been pro a lot longer, I’ve had many more rounds in the bank, many more 10 and 12 rounders. Experience is on my side.
“He cannot match my hunger ... I promise you I will win this fight.”
BOXER COULD LOSE $1M IN UGLY ‘SHAKEDOWN’ CLAIM
By Nick Walshaw
Australian boxer George Kambosos has been thrust into an ugly legal battle on the eve of his world title bout with superstar lightweight champ Teofimo Lopez – and it could cost almost half his $2.1 million purse.
In a stunning turn of events Stateside, Kambosos stands accused of a “shakedown” by promoter Triller after the boxer’s legal team accused them of breaching contract, coercion and lying to the IBF sanctioning body.
On Wednesday morning (AEST), ESPN reported that Kambosos legal team had fired off a letter to the IBF demanding they find Triller in fault of its obligation to honour contracts for what was initially a Madison Square Garden bout on October 4.
The drama arose after Triller, in a bid to avoid competing with Monday Night Football, then decided to delay the bout 12 days, while also switching to the Barclays Center, Brooklyn.
However the organisation needed both fighters to sign off on the change.
Watch Boxing Live & On-Demand on Kayo. Selected international fights, classic bouts and more. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
According to ESPN, the letter from Team Kambosos states that Triller misrepresented to Lopez that the Australian signed an amendment to the contract allowing the fight to be moved, and that unlike Lopez’s signed amendment, the contract offered to Kambosos doesn’t specify Barclays Center as the new venue.
The report suggests the challenger’s camp have accused Triller of breaching contract, lying to the IBF about the Australian’s agreement to move the bout and also attempting to “coerce Mr. Kambosos into executing an amendment that does not comply with IBF [rules] in that it does not specify a venue”.
It also revealed the challenger was ready to fight next Monday, despite both the birth of his child and death of his grandfather last week.
Should Triller, who won the February purse bid with a $6 million commitment, be found to be in default, the bout rights would revert to promoter Eddie Hearn.
Under the Triller deal, Lopez is entitled to 65 per cent per cent — or $3.9 million. Kambosos is due to make $2.1 million.
Should the championship bout switch to Hearn however, it has been suggested Lopez would receive $2.2 million, while Kambosos would also have his purse almost halved, scaled back to $1.2 million.
The fighters would, however, split the US$1.2 million purse bid deposit.
Speaking with ESPN, Triller co-founder Ryan Kavanaugh accused Kambosos of “attempting to extort” the promoter, suggesting the Aussie demanded $380,000 to sign the amendment to move the bout.
“This is a sad day for boxing,” he said. “We are paying him (Kambosos) nearly 10 times his next highest payday, almost $2.5 million dollars.
“We have secured Barclays, made our deposits, signed with Lopez, and Kambosos is making financial and other demands after confirming this date is in fact better than the 4th.
“We have signed and paid an advance to Lopez and put the very same offer forward to Kambosos. This is a pure and simple shakedown and speaks a lot to his character.
“If we give into this, imagine what every future event would hold for Triller when it’s a fighter who actually matters.”
The latest drama continues a bizarre run of events surrounding a title fight that was initially rumoured for May, then June, only to be changed again to avoid clashing with an exhibition bout between Floyd Mayweather and Logan Paul.
Then in June Lopez also tested positive for Covid, forcing further delays.
There was then talk of the fight even being brought Down Under, or held somewhere in the Middle East, before Triller finally booked for a Monday night in New York City.
Only problem?
It clashed with Monday Night Football, prompting yet another change — and this latest legal drama.
News Corp has reached out to the Kambosos camp for comment.
More Coverage
Originally published as George Kambosos legal battle with Triller could cost the Aussie $1m
Freak hurricane threatens Tim Tszyu world title fight
Tim Tszyu’s team will hold urgent talks with American boxing authorities over his world title fight – which has been plunged into uncertainty over a ‘potentially catastrophic’ hurricane.
‘Finally’: 11-year Tszyu first looms at world title showdown after selfless Nikita act
Kostya Tszyu is readying to reunite with his sons for the first time in 11 years - with plans underway to have the Australian boxing legend ringside for Tim’s world title blockbuster.