George Kambosos Jr, the Aussie boxer who shook the boxing community after his stupendous victory over Teofimo Lopez, has now earned recognition as the new Undisputed champion at lightweight even without adding the WBC belt to his collection, and the confirmation has come from none other than the WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman.
George Kambosos Jr doesn’t need to fight WBC champion Devin Haney for undisputed status anymore
George Kambosos Jr had originally contested for Lopez’s unified lightweight championship and on 27th November at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden defeated the “Takeover” via split decision, winning the WBA (Super), IBF and WBO, belts. Even though its Devin Haney who is the WBC champion, Lopez was designated as the governing body’s “Franchise champion”.
The remarkable victory over the former unified champion Lopez, who had earlier beaten Vasyl Lomachenko for the three-belt championship, has given Kambosos Jr the undisputed status, and “Ferocious” will no be longer required to face Haney for the green-and-gold belt, as Mauricio Sulaiman elaborated.
“Devin Haney has the WBC lightweight title, he’s a pride WBC champion, he has grown into being a tremendous champion,” said Sulaiman, “Kambosos defeated [Teofimo] Lopez, who defeated [Vasily] Lomachenko, so I do believe is due recognition as undisputed championand great fights to come.” [H/T BoxingNews24.com]
The WBC prez’s words are also negating Matchroom MD Eddie Hearn’s statement of hosting Haney vs Kambosos Jr for the undisputed title fight in May next year. Kambosos himself had earlier named Haney along with Gervonta Davis, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Ryan Garcia as his next potential opponent and said that he wants the fight taking place on his home soil.
“We’re bringing the big fights here now. I deserve it, I’ve earned that,” Kambosos said in an interview with Fox Sports AU earlier this month, “I haven’t fought here since 2017 so a big fight (is coming) and we’re going to bring that to a massive stadium – 80,000 people. Haney, Davis, Lomachenko, Garcia, they’re all going to get it.” [H/T Boxing Scene]
On 4th December, Haney secured a win over WBC interim champion JoJo Diaz to unify the green and gold belt. A day later, Gervonta Davis defended his WBA “Regular” championship against Issac Cruz, and former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko is set to fight ex-IBF titleholder Richard Commey on 11th December for the WBO Inter-Continental belt. the winner of Lomachenko vs Commey can also become a promising opponent for Kambosos for his first undisputed title defense.
Highlights:
- WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has recognised unified lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr as undisputed
- George Kambosos Jr had defeated Teofimo Lopez for the WBA (Super), IBF and WBO belts last month and won’t have to face WBC champion Devin Haney for undisputed status anymore
