George Kambosos Jr, next fight, lightweight division, Teofimo Lopez, reaction, analysis
In the area of a few several hours on Sunday, George Kambosos Jr. flipped the lightweight division on its head.
His opponent Teofimo Lopez was on major of the planet, holding four lightweight titles obtaining defeated long term Corridor of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko in December last calendar year.
But that was last calendar year and now Lopez has arrive crashing down, with Kambosos the new king of the division and with it will come unprecedented alternatives.
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To really recognize the enormity of what Kambosos just realized, you initial have to realize how very rated Lopez was in the boxing planet.
That acquire above Lomachenko noticed the then 23-calendar year-old Lopez topped the new lightweight king.
With it, Lopez turned the youngest four-belt champion due to the fact the WBO was started in 1988 and was considered just one of the major pound-for-pound boxers in the planet.
As The Athletic’s Greg Rosenstein wrote, it was not so considerably that Kambosos was a mystery in boxing circles.
“He was in this position for a explanation,” Rosenstein wrote.
“But he hadn’t fought anybody at the amount of Lopez and wasn’t expected to be able to deal with what Lopez introduced to the ring.
“Lopez, on paper, was expected to be the outstanding boxer in just about every classification. At just 24, he’s just one of the soaring stars in boxing. He is coming off a acquire above Vasiliy Lomachenko, a pound-for-pound mainstay for decades.
“This was expected to be a combat that he would cruise in. But not everything goes as planned.”
That considerably was crystal clear when Kambosos scored a knockdown in the opening round.
ESPN’s Mike Coppinger described it as a “shocking slide from grace” for Lopez.
“Just 13 months ago, Lopez upset long term Corridor of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko to declare four lightweight titles in a profession-defining victory,” Coppinger wrote.
“The landmark acquire gained Lopez the No. 7 location in ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings and seemingly set him on the route to superstardom.
“Following a careerlong lay-off, a fight with COVID-19 and all the chaos that swirled all over the rescheduled bout, Lopez appeared lethargic and worn out above the remaining eight rounds.”
“What was meant as an opportunity for Lopez to regain momentum soon after 13 months out of the ring turned into catastrophe.”
Kambosos even though, to his credit, took full gain and justifies credit for putting Lopez off his game ideal from the get started.
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Kambosos even though is the just one building the genuine sounds in the boxing planet and it has him in “uncharted territory” according to Coppinger.
“No just one gave him considerably of a likelihood to acquire,” Coppinger wrote.
“It was claimed he gained the lottery soon after capturing a profession-superior purse that exceeded $1.5 million ($A2.1m).
“At minimum just one much more key payday will observe for the Australian in the star-studded lightweight division, and it could be much more.”
As for what that next payday could glance like, Kambosos is in the considerably-deserved position to dictate th
at himself.
“There’s no rematch clause, there is no community attachments,” his promoter Lou DiBella claimed, for each The Guardian.
“Right now George Kombosos is the king of the lightweight division. He’s going to choose a tiny time off and love the victory and we’re going to make the major combat we can make.”
That could really very well be a blockbuster bout back in this article in Australia, where by Kambosos is lastly finding the notice he justifies.
“We do it again in Australia, 80,000 people today, you and me brother,” he told Lopez.
“What a war we’d have. Let us do it again.”
Lopez’s father even though claimed post-combat there would be no rematch, with ideas for the previous champion to as an alternative shift up to one hundred forty lbs . with a shot at undisputed champion Josh Taylor.
Kambosos has plenty of solutions anyway, including the winner of next week’s combat in between Devin Haney and Joseph Diaz Jr.
Eddie Hearn told IFL Television he is eager for Kambosos to combat WBC champion Haney back household in Australia.
“The evident issue is to combat Devin Haney for all the belts. Which is the combat, but Devin has obtained to conquer Jojo [Diaz Jr] next 7 days,” Hearn claimed.
“You just experienced a condition there where by the underdog [Kambosos] just gained, so Devin has obtained to be switched on.
“I’d enjoy to get the job done with George [Kambosos] and choose him [Haney] to Australia. Which is the dream. They arrive from Australia and conquer Teofimo Lopez to acquire all the belts. It is unbelievable.”
Gervonta Davis and Ryan Garcia are also sensible challengers for Kambosos but all that issues ideal now is that the gives will arrive for the Australian.
It is about time according to promoter DiBella.
“It’s great to recognise the talent when no just one else recognises it,” he additional.
“No just one wished George Kambosos. Peter Khan discovered him. We talked about it, this Greek kid who lived in Australia that we considered experienced all this persona, all this self confidence. We noticed something.
“No just one wished him. And glance where by he is: the undisputed lightweight champion of the planet. In a fantastic general performance, just one for the ages. And he has something he can be very pleased of for the rest of his everyday living.”
