In a night filled with high drama and electrifying action, George Kambosos, Australia’s former unified lightweight world champion, made a triumphant return to the boxing ring with a hard-fought victory over Englishman Maxi Hughes. The bout, which took place in Oklahoma, marked Kambosos’ first fight since suffering back-to-back defeats against Devin Haney.
The clash of these two talented pugilists proved to be a rollercoaster ride for the fans. Maxi Hughes, with his IBO world title on the line, showcased his skills in the early rounds, putting Kambosos under pressure and displaying his intent to maintain his seven-fight winning streak. However, the resilient Kambosos managed to find his rhythm and gradually worked his way into the fight, turning the tide in his favor.
As the final bell rang, the judges’ scorecards reflected a controversial split decision. Scores of 114-114, 115-113, and 117-111 were read out, with the last scorecard causing quite a stir. One commentator even labeled it as “ridiculous” and a “disgusting” result, leading to boos from the crowd.
Nonetheless, George Kambosos expressed his belief in the fairness of the decision, confidently stating,
“We won the fight, we won the fight by many rounds, but that’s no discredit to Maxi Hughes.”
The 30-year-old fighter acknowledged Hughes’ talents and impressive track record, emphasizing that he had chosen the Englishman as a hard test. Kambosos now adds the IBO world title to his collection and positions himself as the mandatory challenger for the IBF belt.
“He had a couple of good rounds but a couple of good rounds doesn’t win you a fight. We won the majority of rounds, that’s the reason we chose him, he’s a hard test. A lot of guys were coming off losses but we wanted to take a test like him. He’s a champion, he was on a big win streak, he’s rated by all the bodies, this was a hard challenge and big credit to Max Hughes.
Looking ahead, Kambosos is laser-focused on securing the IBF world title. While he didn’t rule out a potential rematch with Hughes, he highlighted the importance of his next step being the IBF title shot. The victory over Hughes marks a significant milestone in Kambosos’ career as he aims to climb back to the top of the division.
It’s been nearly two years since Kambosos stunned the boxing world by defeating then-undisputed lightweight king Teofimo Lopez. Now, with this hard-earned victory, he sets his sights on bigger challenges and aims to cement his position as a force to be reckoned with in the lightweight division.
On the other side of the ring, Maxi Hughes, though devastated by the result, showed great sportsmanship in defeat. Reflecting on the fight, Hughes expressed his disappointment, questioning what the judges saw. Despite the setback, his gracious attitude earned him respect from the fans and fellow fighters alike.
As the dust settles on this captivating night of boxing, George Kambosos remains steadfast in his pursuit of greatness. With the IBF title in his crosshairs, he’s ready to take on all comers and prove that he’s a force to be reckoned with in the world of boxing. When asked, George did allude to a fight with Vasiliy Lomachenko and mentioned that should be the next fight.
Be the first to comment