‘I will be champion again’: Kambosos thrives on being written off
George Kambosos jnr is so far off the campaign trail he answers the phone from a “location undisclosed”.
Kambosos is days away from fighting for the undisputed lightweight championship of the world in a rematch with Devin Haney in Melbourne on Sunday, but he has barely offered more than a whisper in the build-up in stark contrast to their first meeting.
The 29-year-old challenger has opted to keep a low profile, spending weeks sleeping in a makeshift bedroom once used as the office inside his Mortdale gym. Living and breathing boxing is how he became champion, Kambosos says.
It’s why you won’t find him resembling a politician on a whistle-stop tour during fight week. Some have questioned how you sell the fight if Kambosos stays out of the spotlight, after he was routinely picked off by Haney’s jab during their first meeting in front of more than 41,000 people four months ago.
But Kambosos says the rematch “sells itself”. He is confident he has made the changes he needs to infiltrate Haney’s seemingly impregnable defence, and he “will make it known on Sunday”.
“If you asked people before the [Teofimo] Lopez fight, ‘What’s George going to do? Is he going to be able to do this and that?’ They would have said ‘No way’,” Kambosos said.
George “Ferocious” Kambosos is ready to make boxing history.Credit:Dean Sewell
“But then I went and did it.”
Then Haney came and took it all away. The 23-year-old American returns to defend his WBC, WBA Super, WBO and IBF lightweight championships at Rod Laver Arena.
All it takes is a scroll through Kambosos’ social media accounts to see the doubters are back in droves. Very few expect a different result, they say Haney is too good and the references to chess and Sun Tzu’s Art of War have grown tired.
It makes the prospect of winning back the belts all the more enticing with the victor in position to set up bouts with big names like Vasiliy Lomachenko, Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.
“It’s going to be sweeter this time, getting them back and becoming a two-time undisputed champion,” Kambosos said.
“This here is serious legacy, not only in Australian boxing but world boxing. This gives me goosebumps, that’s why I’m so motivated. The fire is burning. I can’t wait to get in there. I’ve been patient, but I am champing at the bit as well. This is legacy right here.
“What do you think? Two-time undisputed, two times written off, and bounced back against all odds to do it again. I get goosebumps, but I know this is my destiny. This is the way it’s meant to be. They will not be able to question anything after this.
“They’ve always said ‘Why is he taking that, it’s a big risk, he doesn’t have a chance in their backyard’. It’s the same thing again, I’m getting doubted, people are giving me no chance again. People are questioning why we’re taking the risk again of a rematch straight away, but I’m a true champion, I’m a true competitor.
“When someone beats me once in anything, it could be playing chess, it could be playing marbles, I’m going to come back 100 times and make sure I avenge that loss. That’s just the competitive nature in who I am. That’s why I know I will be champion again.”
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