By: Sean Crose
“It’s been a long and hard journey,” George Kambosos Jr said at his final press conference ahead of his fight with Devin Haney this weekend. “Everybody knows that, but I’m ready for Sunday. All those tough moments got me ready for Sunday, and I’m going to shock the world again. Least? Beautiful. We are ready. Kambosos 20-0 surprised a lot of people when he won the WBO, IBF and WBA lightweight belts against Teofimo Lopez last year. Now, American tennis player 27-0 Haney has traveled to Kambosos’ native Australia to lift those titles from him. “More than 40,000 fans are expected,” said Top Rank, the advertising agency behind the match, “as 23-year-old Haney tries to make history more than 8,000 miles from home.”
It’s certainly been an interesting battle between two great talents, one of the more relevant matches so far this year, in fact. Kambosos will enter the ring feeling confident that his experience has prepared him well. “I got through it all,” he said at the press conference, “so whatever happens on Sunday, we’ll be ready. We will be fully prepared. We are warriors. Whatever path we have to take, we are prepared.”
Haney was overconfident in the press conference. “This is the biggest stage,” he said, “but this is what I have been dreaming of. I know that one day I will be here, but I didn’t think it would come so soon, but I am grateful. It’s about time.” For Haney, everything is possible. “I feel like a much better boxer,” he told the media. I’ll show him on Sunday. That’s for me to show off in the ring. The odds really don’t matter because I’ll show you no matter what they say. I’m superior to him.”
Advertiser Bob Arum couldn’t have been more pleased with this duel. “This has to be a great game,” he said. “These two young men are at the top of their game. Everyone has a lot of pride. George Kambosos beat Teofimo Lopez, a match he wasn’t hoping to win based on so-called pros, but he won that bout and won all of these belts. Devin Haney is one of our brightest young boxers in the United States who has garnered a lot of attention and consistently delivers a great performance. Both are undefeated. This is what boxing is all about, and it has to be a great fight. ”
