The battles within the bout that could lead Kambosos jnr to world title glory

There are those who “say” and those who “do”. George Kambosos jnr has always been a doer. Without the fanfare and hype of some of his Australian peers, the 28-year-old stands on the precipice of an achievement as remarkable as any in the nation’s boxing history.

On Sunday, the 19-0 Sydneysider will step into the ring against the undefeated Teofimo Lopez (16-0) at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theatre. At stake is Lopez’s IBF, WBA (super), and WBO lightweight titles, meaning an upset win for Kambosos would make him the king of the division.

Make no mistake, Lopez is a heavy, heavy favourite to win. He’s been trading around the $1.10 mark, which to those outside the sport should give some indication of how the experts see this fight finishing. Yet stranger things have happened in boxing; Jeff Horn somehow beating Manny Pacquiao (fair and square, by the way) is Exhibit A.

Can he do it? Australian fight fans hope so. Here’s how it’s played out so far and why the fiercely proud Greek-Australian goes in with a fighting hope.

You won’t like me when I’m angry

Boxing is full of bogus feuds designed to sell tickets and generate interest. This is not one of them. Lopez and Kambosos genuinely cannot stand the sight of each other and their interactions over recent months have grown increasingly heated. Even their fathers nearly came to blows at one of the media workouts. This could go one of two ways. Kambosos may have found a way under the skin of Lopez, and that could rattle his ring game. Or Lopez could just take his frustrations out on Kambosos once the bell goes. Whether Kambosos is a genius or a high-stakes gambler will be revealed on Sunday.

Which one will be fit and firing?

If Kambosos was paraded around the ring before a Melbourne Cup, he would be the pick of the yard. He has trained relentlessly for months for this bout. His fitness and condition look pristine. He knows he will have no excuse in the world physically if he doesn’t get the job done against the heavy-hitting Lopez. Meanwhile, the champion has had some issues. He contracted COVID, forcing a delay to the fight, then hinted to American media last week that he may be carrying some sort of injury. If Kambosos can get Lopez deep, deep into the fight, that’s when his supreme conditioning may play a part.

Staying away from the Lopez bombs

Kambosos will try to use his speed and hustle to grind down Lopez, although he believes he can win the fight earlier. But it’s Lopez who has the sweet timing and heavy hands, having stopped 12 of his 16 opponents by way of knockout. No matter how tempted Kambosos is to stand and exchange with Lopez, he has to be wary of that one-shot stopping power of his classy opponent, a skill many would suggest Kambosos is lacking in his arsenal. The best chance for Kambosos is to get a decision after 12 rounds. If he gets clipped early, it will be a brief night at the office.

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