Kambosos vows to silence doubters in Haney rematch

Melbourne: The definition of insanity, boxing promoter Lou DiBella says, is replicating a failed plan a second time and expecting a different result. And the one thing he wants you to know about Team Kambosos is, “they’re not insane”.

This is why George Kambosos jnr is back in Melbourne for an immediate rematch with Devin Haney, looking to reclaim his lightweight titles and become the division’s undisputed champion.

Devin Haney and George Kambosos came face to face one final time before their fight.Credit:Getty

Security was forced to intervene when the fighters faced off at Saturday’s weigh-in. Kambosos and Haney jostled for prime position in front of the cameras before their fathers got involved in a war of words. The situation threatened to get out of control when members of the crowd rushed the stage behind the Haney camp as announcer Dan Hennessey yelled “Get those guys out of here”.

Now Kambosos wants to take matters into his own hands, vowing to deliver on a new game plan to get inside Haney’s jab and take the fight to the champion, who suggests he is willing to fight fire with fire should the challenger come charging like a bull out of a gate.

“Let Devin Haney promote the fight, let him tell everyone how good he is, how he’s going to look great in this fight and what he is going to do to me. Let him say that. I know what I can do,” Kambosos told The Sun-Herald.

“I’ve heard it before. I know he showed his best on June 5, and that was far from my best. I’m at my best right now. I don’t get too caught up in anything else, I’m just focused on one thing, and that’s winning this fight. The rest is just noise. I’ve learnt to block the noise out.”

The noise says Kambosos is no chance. He enters the ring a rank outsider given little hope of causing a boilover to reclaim the belts he won in one of Australian boxing’s greatest upsets.

Most expect Haney, who jabbed his way to the world championship four months ago, to head back to Las Vegas with his belts in tow, putting him on a collision course with the likes of Vasiliy Lomachenko, Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia.

But Kambosos has a habit of tearing up a script, which is why he “wasn’t upset” when he made his way back to the Marvel Stadium change rooms in June without his championships.

The Sydneysider was caught up in the hype, made to look like a deer in the headlights by one of the best defensive boxers on the planet. Having spent weeks living in the confines of his Mortdale gym, Kambosos returns at “110 per cent with no excuses, and I will win this fight”.

A scuffle threatened to break out at the weigh-in.Credit:Getty

“That’s how I became champion, living, breathing, being in my gym 24-7 with no distractions. That’s why I am very confident going into this fight, regardless of the first fight, that was not a true testament of who I am and the fighter I am,” Kambosos said.

“People can look at everything else, they will realise that was not Ferocious Kambosos in there [in June]. I’m coming in with everything in this fight.

“It’s been good to be zoned in on one thing and one thing only, and that’s fighting. I’m a prizefighter. I come into that ring to fight. I am very exciting. That’s why I did 41,000 in a stadium, not many can do that here in Australia. I had to promote the fight, I had to do everything by myself. I’m very focused. Ultimately, the rematch sells itself.”

Watch the Sonny Bill Williams v Mark Hunt fight live & exclusive on Stan Event event on Saturday 5 November. New customers can sign up to a Stan free trial and can purchase SBW v Hunt on Stan Event for $50 at stan.com.au/event.

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