A courageous George Kambosos has been stopped in a one-sided drubbing
Despite suffering the first stoppage defeat of his career George Kambosos still feels he’s the best in Australia, but isn’t rushing to make a decision on his fighting future after being TKO’d by Vasiliy Lomachenko.
A beaten George Kambosos won’t rush into a decision on his fighting future following his TKO defeat to Vasiliy Lomachenko, but has doubled down on his position as Australia’s number one current boxer.
Kambosos showed tremendous heart but was outclassed by the Ukrainian in an 11th round stoppage defeat at Perth’s RAC Arena.
Meanwhile, Lomachenko said he expected more from the Australian in their IBF lightweight world title bout.
A shot to the jaw sent Kambosos to his knees in the 11th, and the Sydneysider bravely beat the count and kept fighting, before a body shot saw him collapse against the ropes.
He got up again, but the fight was called off with just 12 seconds left in the round as Lomachenko went for the finish.
In what was the first stoppage defeat of his professional career, Kambosos felt he started well, before Lomachenko turned the tide.
“Everything was perfect in the first few rounds, we did very good, but the fight started to change in round four or five,” he said after receiving stitches to a bad cut over his right eye. “I stepped to the best.
“I’m the old school, I’m a blood and guts warrior. I didn’t want to get stopped, but the ref and my father looked after (me).
“I’ve got a family, I’ve got three kids and I’ve gotta go back to them and show them dad’s still happy and healthy. I’m a good talker, so I don’t want to be slurring my words.”
Kambosos said a shot just behind his left ear midway through the fight was the shot that signaled the beginning of the end.
“He caught me with a shot on the side of that got my equilibrium and buzzed me,” he said. “He did catch me with a shot on the back of the head. It was a good shot.
“It shows the warrior I am. I felt buzzed, but kept fighting on. It changed the momentum, and I kept pushing hard.
“My pride is hurt, I didn’t want to be stopped, but I went out against one of the all-time greats.”
Kambosos didn’t reveal what the future holds, but said he still feels he’s the best in Australia.
“We talk about all these other guys fighting this mega-star, or that mega-star if he beats him, but Kabmoos has fought mega-stars,” he said. “People forget that.
“Lopez, Haney, Lomachenko – these are the mega-star, these are the number one fighters in the world.
“It’s one thing saying it, it’s one thing the media saying it, but it’s another thing doing it.”
Lomachenko proved his class, but didn’t come through the fight entirely unscathed, wearing a couple of welts on his cheek.
But the two-time Olympic champion said he expected more from Kambosos.
“I expected a little bit more,” he said. “Everything he did, I was prepared for and saw it during the fight.
“I felt good in the fight and felt I could finish him.
“I really expected a little bit more. But, we prepared very seriously for this fight and styles make fights and this is what happened.
“We have different styles and today my style was better.”
Lomachenko could be propelled into a number of mega-money world title blockbuster, but his manager Egis Klimas angrily hit back at questions about what’s next.
“Your question would be like asking a woman who’s just given birth if she’d like to have another child,” he seethed.
Co-main chaos
There have been absolutely chaotic scenes in the co-main event after the wrong winner was announced in the WBA bantamweight world title bout between Cherneka Johnson and Nina Hughes.
Defending champion Hughes was initially announced as the winner, but after 30 seconds, ring announcer Lieutenant Dan Hennessey picked up the microphone and began reading out the scores again.
This time, Johnson was announced the winner via majority decision with scores of 95-95, 96-94 and 98-92.
Johnson held a 167 to 133 total punch connect advantage over the 10 round bout.
Never seen this in a boxing fight before. In a title fight, the ring announcer, Lieutenant Dan, announces the wrong person as the winner. How unprofessional . Imagine the emotions for Cherneka Johnson and Nina Hughes had as the lost/won the title there pic.twitter.com/mzGBE9jyqZ
— CFBBlueprint (@CFBBluePrint) May 12, 2024
“How can they announce that I won, then change the scores,” Hughes said. “I dominated early, she won a few later rounds.
“I don’t know how you can announce the win, then change the scores. It’s a joke.
“There’s gotta be a rematch.”
Promoter Lou di Bella was incensed after the dramatic scenes.
“An announcement that’s wrong shouldn’t happen,” he said. “It was a very close fight.
“I’m shocked. It’s unfair to have to sit through that. To celebrate and have the decision for a moment.
“That’s screwed up.”
This is the official scorecard that confirms â¦@TheSugarNeekzâ© victory over Nina Hughes for the â¦@WBABoxingâ© bantamweight world title despite the confusion caused by the ring announcer initially crediting the wrong fighter with the win. 🤦ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸ pic.twitter.com/NEPi4AooWN
— Bernardo Osuna (@osunaespn) May 12, 2024
Andrew Moloney retires in disgust
A furious Andrew Moloney retired in disgust following his controversial split decision world title defeat to Pedro Guevara, but said he would consider an immediate rematch.
After 12 intense rounds, the Mexican was awarded the WBC interim super-flyweight world title with scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 113-116.
Most ringside pundits had Moloney winning, with former welterweight world champion Shawn Porter having the Aussie up 10 rounds to two.
In the chaotic scenes after the result was announced, Moloney stalked around the ring, and let fly at ringside officials.
“Dogs, f***ing dogs,” he fumed.
A furious @AndrewMoloney reacts to that controversial decision before announcing his retirement. #LomaKambosospic.twitter.com/az6lCKgF8M
— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) May 12, 2024
Moments later, he announced his emotional retirement from the sport.
“I’m done with the sport, that’s the last you’ll see of me,” he said in the ring. “I’m retiring, I’m out, I love you all, but sorry. F**k that.”
The heartbreaking scenes continued backstage when a tearful Moloney needed a minute to compose himself before speaking to the media.
“I feel like I won 10 rounds to two, I felt in total control,” he said. “I was outboxing him with ease. No way he thought he won that fight.”
Moloney revealed that he fought through a torn bicep and couldn’t throw a left hook, before hitting out at the judging and the sport in general.
“It’s corruption,” he said. “It’s a load of shit. No qualified judge could see him winning that fight.
“How much more can I keep giving to this sport if they keep f***ing me like that?
“It’s boxing. You see it week in, week out, and it’s not just me, you see it all across boxing.”
When asked what he felt the judges saw, Moloney responded: “An envelope passed under the table.”
Moloney’s manager, Tony Tolj revealed he had already spoken to WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman, who promised an immediate rematch.
If it is his last fight, it brings an end to stellar career that suffered too many controversial moments like this one.
In 2020 he was robbed of a win against Joshua Franco when ringside officials somehow ruled that a legitimate punch was a head butt.
“This is the second time I’ve been ripped off for a world title, and I give my life to this sport. I can’t give any more,” he said. “Twice they’ve just ripped it from me. It’s heartbreaking.
“Maybe I’ll look at the immediate rematch, because I know I’ll knock him out.
“They just keep doing this to me in this sport.
“That should’ve been my third world title tonight. And people don’t realise that it changes my family’s future. Financially, it changes your life winning a world title.
“They go home, and it doesn’t matter to the judges, but I go back to fighting for peanuts on small hall shows and struggling for four years to get back here again.
“I’m 33, I can’t keep doing this to me and my family for these people to just f**k me over.”
12pm AEDT - Next up we have our first world title bout of the day, with Andrew Moloney taking on cult hero Pedro Guevara for the interim WBC junior bantamweight belt.
In the first fight of the day, Imam Khataev stopped a brave Ricards Bolotnik in the sixth round.
Khataev dropped Bolotniks three times with body shots before the fight was waved off.
We’re at the fights. #LomaKambosospic.twitter.com/sh7bHqNYEv
— Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) May 12, 2024
Kambosos vs Lomachenko full fight card and results
(Note: The two heavyweight bouts will take place immediately after the Lomachenko vs Kambosos main event)
Heavyweight - Lucas Browne vs Hemi Ahio
Heavyweight – Joseph Goodall vs Faiga ‘Django’ Opelu
Main Event Pay-Per-View
Lightweight – Vasiliy Lomachenko vs George Kambosos – IBF world title
Bantamweight – Nina Huge vs Cherneka Johnson – WBA world title
Junior bantamweight – Andrew Moloney vs Pedro Guevara – vacant interim WBC world title
Fox Sports
Catchweight – Imam Khataev def Ricards Bolotniks via Rd 6 TKO
What time are Kambosos and Lomachenko fighting?
The main event will take place at approximately 12:15pm AWT, which is 2:15pm AEDT.
Earlier -
George Kambosos Jr could lock in multimillion dollar blockbuster bouts against the likes of boxing superstars Ryan Garcia or Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis if he beats Vasiliy Lomachenko this weekend.
A rematch with arch-rival Teofimo Lopez could also be made regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s IBF lightweight showdown at 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 winner of this weekend’s world title clash will have a mandatory challenger waiting in the wings, but promoter Lou di Bella says a lightweight unification bout, or a money fight could trump a title defence.
“If George wins this weekend, he always wants all the smoke, and he’ll want the biggest fight he can get,” di Bella told this masthead. “Lomachenko will want the same.
“There’s always the Teofimo Lopez fight. That’s a huge fight and a rematch always makes sense.
“ (WBA lightweight world champion) Tank Davis would be a big fight, that would be a possibility.
“I don’t think (WBC world champion) Shakur Stevenson brings in as much money as Davis.
“Ryan Garcia’s way bigger too. The issue is the size, but maybe George takes a non-title fight and takes on Garcia at an increased weight.
“I don’t want to look past this fight this weekend, but if you win this fight, the opportunities are going to be incredible.”
A big money showdown with Garcia would be something of a revenge mission for Kambosos.
After a chaotic build-up, Garcia beat Kambosos’ one-time rival turned mate Devin Haney last month, but missed weight by three pounds and has since tested positive for performance enhancing drugs.
Kambosos slammed the wayward American when asked about his antics against Haney.
“Garcia came in three pounds heavy, and that’s a big advantage,” Kambosos told this masthead. “Then you have the alleged enhancements, and the truth is, it’s a dog act.
“It’s a sad moment in boxing and a tough moment for Devin. The truth for Ryan though is that karma will catch up to him.
“He made a mockery of the sport and it shows the kind of person he is.”
There was genuine tension between Team Kambosos and Team Haney during their pair of lightweight title bouts, but they have since turned into close mates.
Kambosos revealed he has even spoken to Haney in the lead-up to this weekend’s fight about how to approach Lomachenko.
Haney outpointed the former three-weight world champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist in a razor thin decision last May.
“We spoke on the phone just recently and had a good chat and he gave me some good tips,” Kambosos said. “He told me a couple of little things that worked extremely well for him.
“And with my coaches, and the little bits and pieces from Devin, it just cements all the work we’ve done.”
According to di Bella, there are still ongoing discussions about whether Kambosos or Lomachenko should walk to the ring first on fight day.
“It’s still being debated, but we’ll work it out,” he said. “It’s all jockeying and Lomachenko and Kambosos are both seasoned professionals.
“It’s not going to have any outcome or input on the fight, this is just one of those things you go through.
“We’re fighting on George’s turf for a vacant title, so as much as Loma’s a legend, it’s George’s home.”
There have also been issues over an IBF-mandated second weigh in, at which neither fighter can weigh more than 10 pounds over the 135-pound lightweight limit.
For most world title fights, this happens on the morning of the bout.
But with Kambosos and Lomachenko fighting on a Sunday afternoon due to the time zone differences, their teams clashed over when the second weigh in should take place.
“It’s a very unusual situation here, and the second weigh has to be done the night before,” di Bella said. “And, when you’re getting up at the crack of dawn because you’ve got a fight in the afternoon, you’re gonna want some sleep.
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“Loma wanted it to be at 10pm on Saturday night, and George wanted it at 8pm.
“George wanted to be in bed by 10pm, and Loma wanted whatever made George uncomfortable. That’s what you’re supposed to want, by the way.
“But we managed to sort it out and it will take place at 9pm.”
Originally published as A courageous George Kambosos has been stopped in a one-sided drubbing
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