George Kambosos Jr. Seeks to Solve the Lomachenko Equation for Vacant IBF Lightweight Title
George Kambosos Jr. is gearing up to face the formidable Vasiliy Lomachenko in a highly anticipated fight for the vacant IBF lightweight title this Sunday. The Australian boxer has acknowledged the immense challenge he faces, describing Lomachenko as the “Albert Einstein of boxing” due to his exceptional boxing IQ.
Lomachenko, a three-division champion and future Hall of Famer, has often been considered a tactical genius in the ring, making him a difficult opponent to decipher. However, at 36 years old, the Ukrainian fighter has faced some questions about his once-prolific skills after a series of uneven performances.
“A 100 percent Lomachenko has a lot left in the tank,” Kambosos said. “But I don’t believe he has that dog inside of him anymore. I don’t think he wants it as bad as I do right now.”
Despite acknowledging Lomachenko’s all-time great status, Kambosos is confident in his own preparation and determination to emerge victorious. “You can never overlook a guy like Lomachenko. I’d be the biggest idiot if I were to do that,” he said. “We are preparing for the best version of Lomachenko. Once that bell rings, the respect is out the door and it’s time to do the job.”
The Kambosos-Lomachenko fight is scheduled to take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, on May 12 (May 11 in the U.S.), with the event airing on ESPN in the United States.
Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) last fought in May 2022, when he lost a competitive unanimous decision to Devin Haney. Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs), the former unified lightweight champion, is looking to bounce back after a pair of decision losses to Haney in 2022. In his most recent fight, Kambosos secured a highly disputed majority decision against Maxi Hughes in July.
“When you’ve been with 10-out-of-10 Victoria’s Secret models and then you get the 2-out-of-10, a guy [like Hughes, who] is supposed to be a bump in the road, you sometimes don’t have that supreme motivation,” Kambosos explained. “I had to adapt a lot in the fight. He was at his best, and I was at my worst.”
However, Kambosos is promising a more motivated version of himself against Lomachenko, stating that he has a “tremendous game plan and camp, with fantastic sparring partners who emulate Lomachenko to a T.” He added, “You have to adapt against a guy like Lomachenko. Lomachenko has great IQ and he’s tremendous on the feet, but he likes to come forward, too. We have our own tricks up our sleeves.”
Kambosos is confident in his own abilities and is looking forward to a thrilling and action-packed fight against the legendary Lomachenko. “I’m very explosive and dynamic. I fear no man. I step to the best. My resume speaks for itself. I want a tough action fight. I want a brawl,” he said.
The atmosphere at the RAC Arena in Perth is sure to be electric as these two elite boxers clash for the vacant IBF lightweight title.
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