George Kambosos v Devin Haney: Phil Rothfield inside camp Kambosos

Greek war music, a nervous wife and tragic pre-fight news. PHIL ROTHFIELD was invited into the George Kambosos dressing room and witnessed it all.

There were no signs beforehand that this world title fight would be so lopsided.

The pre-fight was as intense as it gets.

News Corp was invited into the George Kambosos dressing room and witnessed it all.

Kambosos is getting his hands strapped, about an hour before the walk out.

One of Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney’s entourage, Rodney Crisler, is looking right over the top of him.

There’s Greek war music playing off Kambosos’ iPhone. He looks calm but is pumping underneath.

Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Inside the Kambosos shed #KambososHaney ⁦@MainEventTV⁩ pic.twitter.com/hDJrXziQ94

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) June 5, 2022

Kambosos’ wife sits on the bench. “I’ll be glad when it is over,” she says.

The tempo lifts as a door opens and the noise from the Hellas Fan Club rushes into the room.

There is a moment of high emotion when Kambosos’ best mate walks in.

Terry Nicholas fought earlier on the card for a draw, not that the result mattered.

Terry had lost his brother to cancer three days before the fight. It rocked them both.

A huge upset had just happened outside in a good omen for the underdog Kambosos.

‘Big Daddy’ Lucas Browne knocked out Kiwi Junior Fa, a $1.06 favourite, in the first round of the heavyweights. Bang, bang and the New Zealander was down and done.

It wasn’t to be in the main event, in which Haney started an odds-on favourite.

Atmosphere building #KambososHaney@[e-mail]/AxJAqQ3xtd

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) June 5, 2022

Nine times out of 10 the best boxer wins world title fights and this one was no different.

Heart and determination, of which Kambosos has plenty, was not enough on this occasion.

Haney leaves Melbourne as the undisputed world lightweight champion and with a reputation as one of the finest to have fought here.

Haney had superior hand speed, a bit more class and the perfect game plan.

Clearly the better technician won on the day.

His jab was like a jackhammer and he looked comfortable throughout.

Kambosos’ face was getting heavily marked in the early rounds while Haney looked almost untouched.

Devin Haney (left) cops one from George Kambosos (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Haney is technically a magnificent boxer, defensively as sound as anyone in any weight division.

It kept Kambosos’ dangerous right hand at bay for the entire fight.

We watched a miracle and a win against all odds over Teofimo Lopez in Kambosos’ last fight but not this time.

The judges scored it 116-112, 116-112 and 118-110 in what became a boxing clinic.

Sportingly, Kambosos walked across the ring and handed over his belts.

He offered no excuses despite the crushing disappointment.

“I’ll change a few things and get him back later in the year,” Kambosos said.

“This is going to light the fire for more and I’ll be back.”

Even the most parochial sporting crowd of 41,129 couldn’t make a difference.

The support was as parochial as Suncorp Stadium on Origin night but probably even twice as loud.

But Kambosos got well and truly clobbered and has much work to do before the rematch.

The great Jeff Fenech said afterwards: “I think George won only two rounds but don’t write him off.

“I don’t think his corner helped. I could hear them. The trainer wasn’t saying the right stuff.”

In his sheds after the fight, Kambosos was trying to come to grips with the first loss of his professional career.

The Lopez win felt a world away.

“I’m not going to take away his moment,” Kambosos said, “but he just taps and runs.

“He won the fight and you’ll now get to see how I handle adversity.

“I’ll have to be more aware next time. I’ll change my angles and be sharper.

“I dared to be great but fell short. Bring on the rematch.”

Originally published as George Kambosos v Devin Haney: Phil Rothfield inside camp Kambosos