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By Kenneth Friedman: Eddie Hearn says lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. isn’t the undisputed champion at 135 and that he still needs to defeat WBC champ Devin Haney for him to claim that honor.
The Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn wants the World Boxing Council to stop referring to Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) as the undisputed lightweight champion until he earns the spot by taking on Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) next.
WBA may order Kambosos vs. Gervonta next
What could make things difficult for Hearn to get the Kambosos vs. Haney fight made is the WBA. They’re reportedly planning on ordering a battle between Kambosos, who holds the ‘Super World’ 135-lb title, and WBA ‘regular’ champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis next.
This is a move the World Boxing Association would be making as part of a consolidation effort to reduce the number of titles in each division.
If the WBA orders the Kambosos vs. Tank Davis fight, it’ll be up to the two fighters whether they agree to it. If not, one will likely be stripped of their title with the organization if they don’t vacate it first.
Fans have started referring to Kambosos as the “undisputed lightweight champion’ following his 12 round split decision win over champion Teofimo Lopez last Saturday night.
The WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman is also saying that Kambosos is the undisputed champion is all the validation the fans need.
It’s a tough spot Hearn is in because he’s pushing hard to lure Kambosos into agreeing to face Haney, and perhaps the best way he can do that is to make him feel that he’s not the undisputed champion.
Hearn wants WBC to stop calling Kambosos “undisputed champion
“The truth is, Devin Haney is the WBC world champion. Like it, don’t like it, whatever,” said Eddie Hearn to Fighthype. “Hopefully, this fight [between Haney and Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz Jr.] will allow him to start getting the respect.
“Don’t forget, he [Haney] chased Lomachenko for the mandatory position. He didn’t want to be given the belt as the interim champion, but these are the kinds of fights that will give him the respect to say, ‘Okay, he’s [Haney] going out and fighting the best guys in the division,’ and this is a big win for him.
“This is the time to say to [WBC president] Mauricio [Sulaiman], ‘stop saying it’s undisputed.‘ We’ve got a chance to actually make the undisputed with Devin against Kambosos.
“That final bell makes no arguments about the undisputed champion,” said Hearn about a fight he’s hoping will be made between IBF/WBA/WBC Franchise/WBO lightweight champion Kambosos and WBC belt-holder Haney. “It’s all irrelevant if Devin doesn’t win on Saturday.
“I don’t believe in the Franchise championship,” said Hearn. “What the Franchise belt does is it doesn’t allow you to chase greatness because you can’t build yourself up a rankings and have a final eliminator and finally get your chance to beat an all-time great,” said Hearn.
The WBC will likely continue to call Kambosos their undisputed champion because it makes their organization look better, having a fighter perceived to be the best in the division holding onto their belt.
Hearn: Gervonta ISN’T a three-division champion
“They call him [Gervonta’ a three-division world champion, and he’s not,” said Hearn. “Devin should be a world champion, but he’s not because of the way it played out [being elevated outside of the ring by the WBC].
“What’s the bigger fight this weekend? I’m sorry, but everybody is talking about Haney-Diaz,” said Hearn. “Nobody is talking about Gervonta against Isaac Cruz. I’m not saying it’s a bad fight. This [Haney vs. Jojo Diaz] is a much bigger fight than that one, and it’s a much better one.
“They’ve already said they’ll only fight guys in the PBC,” said Hearn in recalling what Floyd Mayweather Jr. spoke about his intentions on how he’ll be matching Gervonta. “That tells you everything you need to know,” said Hearn.
