Boxing
The Matrix Rebirth: Vasily Lomachenko Devours George Kambosos Jr. for the IBF lightweight belt
Published
8 months agoon
By
J. HumzaVasily Lomachenko demolishes George Kambosos Jr. and wins the vacant IBF lightweight title (Photo: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
George Kambosos Jr. he thought he would be staring at Vasily Lomachenko all week. It’s a pity his eyes didn’t shoot laser beams, because that was the only way the average Australian could defeat the former lightweight world champion.
Lomachenko had been considering retirement, but his 11th-round stoppage over Kambosos in the fight for the vacant IBF lightweight title before scoring a record of 14,147 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, may cause “The Matrix” to think differently.
Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KO) was simply brilliant, capping off a dominant performance at 2:49 of the 11th after knocking down the losing Kambosos (21-3, 10 KO) twice on Sunday morning in Australia.
Lomachenko, the ring’s No. 1 lightweight, regained his IBF belt after losing it to Teofimo Lopez Jr. in 2020.
At age 36, there were some doubts that the future Hall of Famer’s skills would erode. This was not the case when they exposed the overrated Kambosos for what he is.
“Today it looked like a knockout, not a ‘No-Mas-Chenko,’” Lomachenko said. But you know, we trained difficult for this moment. I want to thank my opponent. He is a powerful man and a real warrior.
“My plan was to adapt to my opponent. That’s what I did during the fight. I knew I had to finish powerful. And for the last three rounds I’ve been trying to find his body.
At the time of the stoppage, Lomachenko led 99-91 on judges Steve Gray and Michiaka Somey’s scorecards and 98-92 on judge Benoit Roussel’s scorecard.
The defeat marked the third loss in his last four fights for Kambosos, who many believe also lost to Maxi Hughes last July in Shawnee, Oklahoma, after losing back-to-back to Devin Haney, missing out on the undisputed lightweight title and rematch.
Since upsetting Lopez for the undisputed lightweight title in November 2021, Kambosos has been unable to capture the same magic. He went through managerial and camp changes, lost a lawsuit with his former manager Peter Kahn, and after breaking up with previous coach Javiel Centeno, he went through different coaches.
Lomachenko completely surprised Kambosos in the first round. It was a harbinger of what was to come. He danced around the confined Kambosos, which moved in a straight line and were an uncomplicated target to shoot down as he got closer. As the second closed, Lomachenko nailed Kambosos with a straight left to the face, followed by a left-right combination that sent Kambosos stumbling back into the ropes.
Every time Kambosos tried to play down the right wing, Lomachenko was unable to get hit, he was out of reach. With 1:05 left in the third period, referee Katsuhiko Nakamura, whom Team Kambosos was trying to replace, warned Kambosos about the boundary line at the waist.
The players ended the third period with a quick exchange, after which Kambosos shouted at his Ukrainian opponent and Nakamura had to push him back to the corner.
With 1:48 left in the fourth quarter, Kambosos hit Lomachenko on the right side, but The Matrix supported Kambosos. With 1:13 left in the round, Loma hit Kambosos with a left to the body, setting up a pretty left to the head with 1:07 left in the round.
As the rounds went on, Kambosos became more and more surprised. He didn’t know what to do with Lomachenko, who kept stepping on Kambosos’ left side, forcing the Australian with his dominant hand to reach further. With 17 left in the fifth set, Lomachenko sent an off-balance Kambosos down the left wing, which was rightly considered a slip.
After five rounds, Lomachenko had a 73-16 advantage. He completely outclassed the pedestrian Kambosos, who has proven in his last four fights that he is capable of one-punching.
With 1:34 left in the seventh set, Kambosos slid a right to the body. It was the only real salvo he managed to land. About 30 seconds later, Loma put Kambosos in the corner. With 46 seconds left in the round, Lomachenko hit Kambosos with a left to the body. He systematically defeated the Australian.
Kambosos, his right eye swollen, returned to his corner with his head down.
In the first eight minutes, Lomachenko returned to swinging and attacking Kambosos on the left. Kambosos had no counterattack to stop it. Loma was crushing Kambosos’ face. He had to attend to a cut on his right eyelid.
LOMA IS WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN.
LOMA IS WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN.
LOMA IS WORLD CHAMPION AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/IZDYaV7bhV
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) May 12, 2024
In the ninth round, Lomachenko supported Kambosos. The stiff Kambosos was again unable to counteract this. With blood streaming down the right side of his face, Kambosos, who had shown great courage in his batting, was plowed by a tiny left as the ninth ended.
In the 10th, Lomachenko nailed Kambosos in the face with right after right, hitting him with his jab at will, then changing levels and hitting Kambosos with a tiny right to the jaw.
At the beginning of the 11th round, Lomachenko defeated Kambosos 157-38. With 31 seconds left in the 11th, Lomachenko, apparently having all the time in the world, curled up and drove his left into Kambosos’ midsection, causing Kambosos to kneel in a delayed move.
Kambosos got up at eight, there wasn’t much left. The Ukrainian closed it out at 2:49 of the 11th with two kicking shots to the body. Jim Kambosos, father of George Kambosos Jr. working the corner, he threw in the towel, luckily, ending the matter.
“I have never run in my boxing career,” Lomachenko said. “I always get into fights. Now I want to go home, spend time with my family, and when I get some rest, we can talk about my future.
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
5 days agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
6 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
2 weeks agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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