By Craig Daly: George Kambosos Jr says he wants to dismantle IBO lightweight champion Maxi Hughes in an IBF title eliminator this Saturday, July 22nd, in a Top Rank-promoted event on ESPN+ at the Firelake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
(Photo credit: Mikey Williams/Top Rank)
It’s a fight that Kambosos has to win because he’s being put in the perfect position to earn another world title shot without having to beat any of the top contenders.
Kambosos should have had to fight a talented top-five contender for the IBF 135-lb title eliminator instead of the 33-year-old Hughes (26-5-2, 5 KOs), but Top Rank is putting him in a winnable fight, or at least it should be.
Kambosos-Hughes event will be shown on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
The former IBF, WBA & WBO lightweight champion Kambosos Jr should be fighting one of these highly ranked contenders in an IBF title eliminator instead of #9 Hughes:
1. Gustavo Lemos
2. NOT RATED
3. Vasyl Lomachenko
4. Shakur Stevenson
5. Isaac Cruz
6. Frank Martin
7. William Zepeda
It’s unclear why those guys were passed over, enabling Hughes to fight and #8 Kambosos to fight in an IBF title eliminator. Kambosos has lost his last two fights, so thaat right there should automatically disqualify him to fight in a title eliminator.
“Sparring the best of the best and adding more to my artillery. I’m really focused, really zoned in,” said George Kambosos Jr to Fighthype.
“America, this is boxing here. I’m fighting Maxi Hughes and have had fantastic preparation. I’m here in Oklahoma to handle business. Another world title to add to my collection. Set myself up for another IBF world title.”
Hopefully, Kambosos Jr will fight one of the top guys in the IBF’s rankings if champion Devin Haney vacates, as many believe he’ll be doing. Fighting another fringe-level fighter would be unfair if it’s for the vacant IBF title.
“I’ve had a fantastic camp. I’m in better shape than I was before I fought Lopez,” said Kambosos. “I just feel good, man. I feel happy, relaxed, and calm. I can’t wait to handle business. There’s no stress. There are no outside distractions.
“I don’t have a reason to talk in this fight. I’m just very focused on dismantling him and taking him out in fashion. I’ve been very quiet for this promotion. I’ve done what I had to do to promote.”
It wouldn’t matter if Kambosos did do a lot of talking. The boxing public isn’t paying attention to this fight because Hughes is an unknown domestic-level fighter from England, and Kambosos Jr is considered a washed one-hit-wonder.
“I haven’t had to take no cheap shot at him. I haven’t had to say too much,” said Kambosos. “Maybe he’s thinking of an old ‘Ferocious,’ the guy that destroyed [Teofimo] Lopez. I tried to get under Haney’s skin, a guy that mentally destroyed the other guys.
“For this fight, there’s been no out-of-character to create extra hype. The hype is in the fight itself more than anything. He’s more than anything getting his 15 minutes of fame. Cameras are in front of him for the first time in his career.
“He’s the one that has said a few things, taking a few cheap shots. We’ve been in big championship fights and big stadium fights, fighting the best of the best fighters in the world.
“Like I said many times, it’s a big difference when you have been playing checkers in your local area, and then you step up to fight or play chess against the elite, that’s a whole different level.
“I’ve been at this level for many years. So I’m ready. He can say what he wants. I’m focused on making an emphatic victory and making a statement for this fight.
“I thought he was deserving of the shot, deserves to make a bit of money from the sport, and you know I’m excited about it. We’ve given him the utmost respect,” said Kambosos Jr.
