This weekend sees Devin Haney and George Kambosos take part in a brilliant fight in Australia where the winner will be the undisputed champion at lightweight. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that whoever wins this fight is number one in such a deep division, but make no mistake, it might not be long before we see a new number due to the amount of killers that operate at 135lbs.
With Kambosos vs. Haney coming up first, what we have now is a fight that has so much potential. Kambosos’ relentless will to win against a skilful fighter who rarely puts a foot wrong. Australia will come out in a big way for Kambosos. Will he deliver for his people? Or will Haney upset the homecoming and return to America with all the belts?
Kambosos’ rise in recent years has been a remarkable one that not many people would've expected. I was there at ringside the night he beat Lee Selby and there’s no way I would've thought that he’d go onto to be the number one fighter in the division. He got that spot by beating Teofimo Lopez in New York and it was a result that made people sit up and take notice.
He’s proven over and over that he’s a great traveller by constantly going to other fighters’ backyards and returning with the win. Will the added pressure of having the crowd in his favour impact how he performs? I don’t think so. Kambosos is a thorough professional who’s come through many hard moments. He can be backed to deliver when it matters.
In Haney, Kambosos gets a fighter a little different from what he’s been used to in recent fights. For all Lopez’s brilliance, he’s not as skilful as Haney, and Kambosos will need to get his opponent’s respect early, just like he did when he floored Lopez in the opening round. If Haney is allowed to get into any sort of rhythm, then it could be a hard night for Kambosos.
This is a real coin toss for me. If the fight was in America and Haney had his team in his corner then I’d back him, but it’s a totally different proposition going over to Australia. Has he given himself enough to get used to the country? Will Yoel Judah be effective as Bill Haney? Will the hostile environment be a factor? This is a proper 50-50 for me and I can’t make my mind up.
Whoever does win, they best not get too comfortable because what’s waiting for them is a list of contenders that are well within their rights to believe that they could beat either Haney or Kambosos. If the fighters around the top ten all decide to stay at 135lbs then you're in for a real treat over the next few years if the right fights get made.
Vasiliy Lomachenko will be knocking on the door when he returns to action. Lopez will want to prove to the world that he’s a still a force if he doesn’t move up to super-lightweight. Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis are exciting young talents that can end a fight with one shot. And there’s Shakur Stevenson waiting to move up. What an incredible group of talent.
For now, the focus is on Sunday morning when Australia will come to a standstill to watch their latest fighting hero aim to maintain his incredible run by beating Haney. A fight like this would usually be the pinnacle for either man’s career, but I get the feeling that it’s just the beginning for whoever wins. I can’t wait to watch.