In November last year, George Kambosos Jr shook the boxing world after he defeated Teofimo Lopez and became the new unified lightweight champion, beating “The Takeover” via split decision, winning the WBA (Super), IBF, and WBO, belts. Since then, Kambosos’ next fight has been a matter of discussion and while the fandom is split between an undisputed title clash against WBC champion Devin Haney and a mandatory title defense against former world champion Vasily Lomachenko, Matchroom MD Eddie Hearn is preferring Haney.
Devin Haney vs George Kambosos Jr, that’s the fight to me: Eddie Hearn
On 27th November, Kambosos Jr defeated Teofimo Lopez via split decision after a hard-fought 12 rounds at the Hulu Theater in Madison Square Garden, New York, clinching the unified lightweight championship as well as handing Lopez his first professional career defeat.
Soon after the fight, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman had confirmed that remarkable victory over the former unified champion Lopez, who had earlier beaten Lomachenko for the three-belt championship, gave Kambosos Jr the undisputed status, and “Ferocious” will no be longer required to face Haney for the green-and-gold belt.
Top Rank president Todd Duboef, however, said that Lomachenko would be pushing for a fight against Kambosos to earn his unified champion back. But Eddie Hearn recently said in an interview with Fighthype that Kambosos facing Haney for the undisputed championship is far more significant than facing Loma.
“We’re talking to DAZN. George keeps coming out on social media saying, ‘We’re waiting for the offer,’ but they want to promote the fight but we’re going to Australia,” said Hearn. “Normally in that instance, we’d be receiving an offer, not making an offer to do a show in your country, but we’re happy to do that as well. We’ve been talking to DAZN, who are very, very keen to make the Devin Haney fight, of course, for the undisputed championship.”
“Of course, it is,” Hearn opined on the importance of Kambosos vs Haney compared to Kambosos vs Lomachenko, “Lomachenko is a brilliant fighter, but it’s a voluntary defense [for Kambosos]. We’re still going to have the problem with ‘He’s undisputed. No, he’s not.’ Just get the fight done.” [H/T BoxingNews24.com]
Highlights:
- Matchroom MD Eddie Hearn says facing Devin Haney is more important for George Kambosos Jr compared to a Vasily Lomachenko fight
