Vasiliy Lomachenko scores a lunging left on Jamaine Ortiz during their lightweight fight at The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden on October 29, 2022. (Photo by Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images)
Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. will meet in the ring with the chance at another reign as lightweight titleholder at stake.
The vacant IBF lightweight title will be up for grabs when they face off at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Lomchenko-Kambosos will headline a card that will be broadcast live in prime time on Saturday, May 11 on ESPN in the United States, beginning at 10 p.m. ET. The fight will take place on Sunday, May 12 local time in Australia to adjust for the time difference.
“I am excited for the opportunity to fight once again for a world title. George Kambosos Jr. is a good fighter, and I know I must prepare well to earn the victory,” said the former three-division titleholder Lomachenko (17-3, 11 knockouts). “Fighting in Australia will be a new experience, and I am looking forward to giving the people of Perth a great fight.”
Lomachenko and Kambosos had been in talks to face shortly after Kambosos had upset Teofimo Lopez in November 2021 to win the three lightweight titles that Lopez had won off of Lomachenko the year prior. Lomachenko bowed out of negotiations after his native Ukraine was invaded by Russian troops, and Kambosos instead fought Devin Haney in a pair of unanimous decision losses in Melbourne, Australia.
Lomachenko later fought Haney, losing a disputed decision, after which Haney vacated his belts to move up to 140 pounds. That brings Lomachenko and Kambosos back to a showdown between each other.
Kambosos (21-2, 10 KOs) of Sydney, Australia is coming off his own victory that sparked debate, when he beat Maxi Hughes by majority decision last July.
“I am extremely motivated and eager to face off with the legendary Vasiliy Lomachenko. Once again, I will bring a world championship showdown and a mega stadium fight to Australian shores. This will be a battle between two modern day warriors,” said Kambosos, who is five years younger than Lomachenko at age 30.
“This is a fight I’ve always wanted, and it will soon become a reality. This fight means everything to me. It’s about cementing the immortal boxing legacy I want to leave behind. I will be ready, and victory is the only thing on my mind. Thank you to the City of Perth and the Western Australian Government for getting behind this historic event.”
Lou DiBella, who co-promotes Kambosos alongside Top Rank, likes his boxer’s chances against the living legend.
“George Kambosos is one of the best lightweights in the world. Loma is a legend. He is also an aging and smaller legend. George Kambosos has never been more hungry and has the chance to climb the mountain again. It’s going to be a great fight and a huge event in Perth,” said DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment.
Online betting outlets have already made Lomachenko a significant favorite, with DraftKings listing Lomachenko as a -800 favorite and Kambosos as a +475 underdog. Still, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum isn’t counting out Kambosos just yet.
“We’ve seen George Kambosos Jr. upset the odds before, and he is a warrior that cannot be underestimated. This is a fascinating clash of styles that marks the most significant boxing match ever to take place in the beautiful city of Perth. Thank you to the Western Australian Government for their support in making this historic event a reality,” said Arum.
The rest of the card has yet to be announced, although Jason Moloney, the WBO bantamweight titleholder and Top Rank’s only Australian current champion, had stated after his majority decision win over Saul Sanchez earlier this month in Quebec City, Canada that he’d “love to defend my world title ‘Down Under’ in front of my Australian fans.”
Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler and The Guardian, and is part of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2020. He can be reached at [email protected].
