The fight is on and the war of words has already started.
Australian lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr is set to defend his world championship against American Devin Haney.
The fight was heavily rumoured after Ukrainian fighter Vasily Lomachenko turned down the initial penned match up, instead opting to stay and defend his country.
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Now, Kambosos Jr and Haney have put pen to paper, to confirm the fight for June 5 at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.
The Australian, who holds the WBO, WBA, and IBF lightweight championships, is gunning to make it four titles to his name as he looks to take Haney’s WBC lightweight championship.
The two set the scene for an exciting fight at the press conference, with Haney taking exception to being called “kid” by the Australian
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Haney said: “First off I want to say I’m not a kid, stop calling me a kid. I’m a man and I will show him that in the ring. Respect me as a man.”
Kambosos Jr. replied: “Show me. Show me.”
Haney fired back, saying: “He can say he chose me but that is not the truth. He was forced into this fight. He did not want to fight me. Up until he did not want to sign a contract. He did not choose me, he was forced into it.”
It will be the Australian’s first fight on home turf since 2017.
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Eddie McGuire introduced the event at the press conference, saying: “It is going to be an atmosphere like we have never seen.”
The matchup will see Kambosos Jr's record of 20-0 and 10 KOs go up against Haney’s record of 27-0 with 15 KOs, in what will be one of the biggest lightweight fights in history.
Haney said of the fight: “This is the biggest fight of the year by far. There will be a king of the lightweight and it will be me.”
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Speaking to Fox Sports News, Kambosos Jr had full confidence in his ability to defeat Haney.
He said: “He’s going to drown. To come back home, fight in front of 60,000 people... you better believe I will turn up and drown this kid.
“I’m relentless, ruthless and will destroy this kid. I will damage him where he will never want to fight again, he will never want to go near a boxing ring again.
“Many of his first 18 fights were in Mexico. It’s like having amateur fights really, not even. I’ve been into the lion’s den and beat the best of the best. I’ve been studying all these guys so I’ve got notepads and know exactly what I need to do to win this fight.”
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If Kambosos were to defeat Haney that would make him the first undisputed lightweight champion in the four-belt era.
Featured Image Credit: Sipa US / Alamy. ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy.
