Former lightweight world champion George Kambosos Jr. returns to action next month after back-to-back defeats against Devin Haney. The Australian lost his WBA, WBO and IBF titles convincingly in his native Australia last year picking up his first career defeats.
Kambosos (20-2, 10 KOs) heads back to America taking on England’s Maxi Hughes ( on July 22 at the Firelake Arena, Oklahoma. The 135 pound division has lots of moving pieces, but the Kambosos’s return holds great significance to the weight class.
Promoter Lou DiBella spoke exclusively to ProBox TV ahead of Kambosos’s ring return.
“I think he is great actually, I think he is better as the underdog.” DiBella answered in regards to Kambosos’s mental state after two big defeats. “I think he likes being the underdog. He likes that fighting his way to the top type of thing. He lost twice to the same guy that was the worst style matchup possible for him. George does not match well with a Devin Haney, frankly he properly doesn’t match great with a Shakur Stevenson, those are the most difficult styles for him. But he has shown you that he can beat up Teofimo Lopez and he can compete with anybody.
“I think the top of the division at 140 and the top of the division at 135 [pounds] are both widely available to George and I think there is a lot of damage he can do in those weight classes. I think at 135 if Haney moves up, George will fight for a vacant title. The winner of George and Maxi will get a vacant title shot if Devin moves up immediately. The winner of that fight is in a position to launch themselves towards another world title. Also from George’s perspective, in Australia they recognise the IBO title. Getting that title off Maxi for George would be somewhat significant in Australia.”
Kambosos takes on Hughes in an obvious step down in class from the likes of Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney. However, DiBella was keen to express the qualities of the Englishman and stressed how important the upcoming headliner is for both men.
"Maxi Hughes is very underrated.” DiBella stated. “Maxi Hughes can box, Maxi is a good fighter. It is interesting because Maxi has not gone into those fights as an underdog and he’s won the majority of them. He defended the IBO title for a while. The fact that this fight was made an elimination bout for the IBF is significant for both guys. It also gives Maxi that opportunity he wanted for a big fight in the States against a world known kind of guy. It’s an opportunity for Maxi, but it’s an opportunity for George to immediately become number 2 in the world and potentially set up a shot for a potential title, if Devin Haney moves up in weight. I think it is a very significant fight, and a good fight.
Kambosos returned to his homeland last year for the unsuccessful double-header with Devin Haney in Melbourne. He now returns stateside in a move Di Bella feels will suit the former champion on his second run at a world title.
“You know, he has been a road warrior his whole career.” DiBella added. “The only two fights he had in Australia from the time he left Australia since he signed with me are the two fights with Haney. So he used to fighting in the States, I think that, honestly, on this comeback trail this is the right place for him to be. And, the fight will be available on Main Event and Foxtel on pay-per-view. So George’s fight will be available in Australia on pay-per-view, in the US it will be on ESPN. It will be distributed worldwide to a lot of other outlets too.”
