Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. has pulled one of boxing’s great recent upsets, becoming the IBF, WBO, WBA and The Ring lightweight world champion by taking down Teofimo Lopez.
Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. has pulled one of boxing’s great recent upsets, becoming the unified IBF, WBO, WBA and The Ring lightweight world champion.
The 28-year-old Sydneysider stunned unbeaten favourite Teofimo Lopez via split decision, 115-11, 115-113, 113-114.
He knocked down Lopez in the first round, and while Lopez returned the favour in the tenth, the Aussie at times dominated his fancied opponent and did enough to win it on the cards.
Kambosos was a $6 underdog to win the fight outright and $9.50 to win it via points/decision, but pulled off the incredible upset at a sold-out Hulu Theatre at Madison Square Garden.
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Kambosos scored his knockdown in a sizzling first round as both fighters came out swinging wildly. Lopez outbattled the Australian in the next two rounds, before Kambosos controlled the middle of the fight.
But Lopez surged back from the eighth round onwards and knocked down the Aussie in the tenth after rocking him with a huge right in the ninth. But Kambosos battled back brilliantly in the final two rounds to seal the decision victory.
Kambosos declared: “Have I changed all week? Have I changed all career? Never… I’m not the king, because you’ve got four kings. I’m the emperor!”
“I’m the greatest fighter in Australian history,” he declared.
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Kambosos once fought on a Lopez undercard, but in a fight that was 10 months in the making – and had the date changed eight times – he produced one of the all-time boilovers.
A disciplined Kambosos constantly looked to hit Lopez on the counter as the reigning champion charged in looking for a knockout shot. Behind a well-timed jab and a brilliant overhand right – the shot which dropped Lopez in the opening round – the Australian outworked his rival throughout the 12 rounds. According to CompuBox stats, he landed 155 power punches to Lopez’s 115.
“I won tonight,” a bitter Lopez declared. “I ain’t no sore loser, I take my wins and I can take my losses… I don’t care what anybody says man.”
He added: “The referee knew I won tonight. Everybody knew I won tonight.” The crowd immediately bood. Lopez then claimed he won the fight 10 rounds to Kambosos’ two: “I score it 10-2.”
Kambosos declared: “You’re delusional”, before immediately offering a rematch to the beaten champ (now 16-1) on Australian soil.
“Take it like a champ, let’s do it again in Australia,” Kambosos says. “80,000 fans in Australia, let’s do it again.”
He could also look for a future unification fight against Devin Haney, who holds the WBC lightweight belt. Another option could be a bout with rising star Gervonta Davis.
28-year-old Kambosos of Sydney hadn’t fought since October 2020, but claimed the throne in just his third bout on US soil. He now boasts a 20-0 record with 10 KOs.
“This could be the upset of the year – @georgekambosos only has to maintain this and the fight is his – Lopez cut on head and both eyes – GK cut on left eye – Commentators have Aussie up 68-64!” boxing writer Grantlee Kieza tweeted after eight rounds.
Meanwhile, in another massive event taking place on Sunday afternoon, a pair of undefeated 122-pound champions face off in a huge clash.
24-year-old WBC champ Brandon Figueroa (22-0-1, 17 KOs) fights 27-year-old WBO champ Stephen Fulton Jr (19-0, eight KOs), with the winner likely looking to face WBA (Super) and IBF titleholder Murodjon Akhmadaliev in a unification bout.
WHAT TIME WILL FIGUEROA-FULTON START?
The card will be on Fox Sports 506 from 2pm AEDT.
JAPAN GUN PUTS WORLD ON NOTICE
Kenichi Ogawa claimed the vacant IBF world super featherweight title with a bloody and brutal victory over South African southpaw Azinga Fuzile.
Fuzile’s brilliant shoulder-roll defence stopped the more active Ogawa from landing much of note in the first four rounds, before Ogawa landed a monster straight right to the chin in the fifth that dropped Fuzile.
Fuzile showed plenty of courage to remain in the fight through the 12 rounds, but took a mountain of punishment from Ogawa’s powerful right hand.
Both eyes suffered significant cuts – not helped by a pair of accidental head clashes – but Fuzile’s nose also bled profusely.
Ogawa dropped Fuzile twice more in the final round and it could well have been stopped by the referee, but the Japanese star claimed the belt comfortably in a unanimous decision: 115-110 x2, 114-11.
Ogawa moves to 26-1-1 (18KOs) while Fuzile slumps to 15-2 (9 KOs).
CHINESE BEAST CRUSHES RIVAL
Chinese heavyweight giant “Big Bang” Zhilei Zhang took his unbeaten streak to 23 bouts with a crushing victory over American “The Beast” Craig Lewis.
Lewis – a late-notice replacement and a journeyman – was outmuscled from the start by the near 2m-tall, 124kg star.
Lewis was dropped for the first time in 19 bouts in just the second round by a couple of huge left hands, and his corner soon stopped the fight – his first stoppage defeat in a long career.
Zhang, the 2008 Olympic silver medallist, bounced back from a draw with Jerry Lewis last time out.
He is now 23-0-1 with 18 KOs.
LOPEZ-KAMBOSOS CARD
George Kambosos Jr def Teofimo Lopez — Split decision (115-11, 115-113, 113-114) for the IBF, WBO, WBA and The Ring lightweight titles
Azinga Fuzile def. Kenichi Ogawa – unanimous decision (115-110 x2, 114-11) for the vacant IBF world super featherweight title
Raymond Ford def Felix Caraballo — TKO Round eight; Featherweight
Zhilei Zhang def Craig Lewis – TKO round two; Heavyweight
Ramala Ali def Isela Vera – unanimous decision (40-36, 40-36, 40-36) Super bantamweight
Christina Cruz def Maryguenn Vellinga – unanimous decision (60-54, 60-54, 59-55) Flyweight
Anthony Herrera def Jonathan Herrera – TKO round two
FULL FIGUEROA-FULTON CARD
Brandon Figueroa vs. Stephen Fulton Jr. for the WBC and WBO super bantamweight titles
Raeese Aleem vs. Eduardo Baez, junior featherweight
Gary Antonio Russell vs. Alejandro Santiago, bantamweight
Rock Dodler Myrthil vs. Kevin Johnson, junior welterweight
Aaron Alameda vs. Angel Antonio Contreras, junior featherweight
Kenny Davis, Jr. vs. Nelson Hampton, lightweight
Albert Gonzalez vs. Chamar Flowers, junior featherweight
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Originally published as AUSSIE WORLD CHAMP: Underdog George Kambosos Jr stuns boxing world, Teofimo Lopez in mega title upset
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