Greek-Australian boxer George Kambosos Jr has been defeated by a dominant Vasiliy Lomachenko in the 11th round to win the IBF lightweight title in Perth, the latter having returned after a year out to become a four-time world champion across three different weight classes.
Kambosos Jr Defeated
The Ukrainian showed himself to be the better fighter through 10 rounds before dropping Kambosos early in the 11th. Though the Greek-Australian beat the count, Lomachenko came forward with a series of punches to seal his victory in front of 14,000-plus fans at the RAC Arena, with Kambosos’ corner throwing in the towel.
“My plan was to adjust to my opponent,” Lomachenko, who is in the twilight of his career, told Sky News after the fight. “This is what I did in the fight. Toward the end of the rounds, I needed to finish strong. In the last three rounds, I was trying to find his body. We trained hard for this moment. I want to thank my opponent. He is a strong man and a true warrior.”
Lomachenko was in control right from the start of the fight, and his technical superiority was evident as he was careful to control the distance and strike with tidy combinations. The 36-year-old landed a dizzying left hook in the eighth round that left Kambosos with blood streaming from near his right eye.
Kambosos doffed his hat to his opponent. “He’s one of the best fighters in history,” the 30-year-old said. “I’m not ashamed. I wanted to finish the fight on the feet, I really did He’s a true champion. He’s a legend of the sport. I give him the utmost respect. We knew what we are coming up against, and I tried my best. But it wasn’t enough today. There’s no shame in losing to a man like Lomachenko,” Kamboso told Sky Sports.
Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who defends his WBA lightweight title against Frank Martin next month, posted on social media saying “Lomachenko is next”. Asked ringside whether a unification fight with Davis could be his next bout, Lomachenko said: “During my boxing career, I never run. I always take the fights. Right now, I want to come back to my home, spend time with my family and after then I rest a little bit we can talk about future.”
At his post-fight press conference after victory vs Kambosos, Lomachenko was asked for his predictions ahead of fellow Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk taking on Tyson Fury next Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
“My opinion is I am with my friend and with my brother Oleksandr Usyk, and of course I wish him to win this fight,” Lomachenko told Sky Sports. “The best man will win this fight. This is a very, very historic moment for boxing, for people around boxing and, of course, for our Ukraine, it’s a very important fight. I will be praying for Oleksandr and I hope the best man wins.”