Three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko has travelled to George Kambosos’ back garden as he attempts to regain a lightweight world title, three-and-a-half years after he lost his unified 135lb crown. Yet, despite fighting on away soil, the tricky technician has explained why he is glad that the fight is taking place in Australia.
After leaving the amateur scene with a record of 396-1 and an established legend in the sport, Lomachenko attempted to match the world record of least number of bouts to win a world title, challenging Orlando Salido in a bid for the WBO featherweight title in just his second official contest.
However, a split-decision defeat proved to be the first stumbling block, although we would go on to win the belt in his very next bout.
Since then, ‘Loma’ has taken the world of boxing by storm and dominated both the 126lb and 130lb divisions before jumping up to lightweight in 2018 and unifying the WBO, WBC and WBA titles as he set out to achieve his goal of becoming undisputed champion, but he would shockingly lose those belts to Teofimo Lopez before he got the chance.
The slick Ukrainian would however get his shot over two years later, facing Devin Haney for all four-belts in his most recent contest, where his heart was broken as he lost a controversial decision that many viewers felt he deserved to get.
Now the 36-year-old has a chance to put himself in a position for fights against the other lightweight champions such as Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson, as he travels Down Under to take on Kambosos – who Haney originally defeated for the belts, in a battle for the vacant IBF lightweight title.
In an interview with Top Rank, Lomachenko revealed why he is happy to be facing ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos in his home country, rather than in the United States.
“I feel like it is the first time in my career [that the fight is at] 11am. For me, it is better than fighting in the evening. For me, it is more comfortable because you wake up, take a breakfast and go fighting, after that you can enjoy this beautiful city.”
‘Loma’ will be hopeful that we don’t witness a repeat of the last time a pound-for-pound star fought an Australian on their turf, when Jeff Horn infamously got the nod against Manny Pacquiao in one of boxing’s most memorable heists in recent years.
Lomachenko-Kambosos takes place on Saturday night at the RAC Arena in Perth, topping a bill that also features a WBC interim super-flyweight bout between Andrew Moloney (26-3) and Pedro Guevara (41-4-1), as well as a WBA bantamweight title showdown involving Britain’s Nina Hughes (6-0) and Australia’s Cherneka Johnson (15-2).
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.