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Mike CoppingerESPN
George Kambosos Jr. puts his WBO, WBA, IBF and WBC “franchise” lightweight titles on the line against WBC champion Devin Haney on Saturday, in the main event of a Top Rank card at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia (9 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+ with prelims at 7:30 on ESPN+).
Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) won his titles against Teofimo Lopez Jr. by unanimous decision in a big upset back in November. He was supposed to face Vasiliy Lomachenko, but Lomachenko decided to stay in his home country of Ukraine after the Russian invasion, and Haney got the call.
Despite fighting at home and having three of the four major belts, Kambosos is a slight underdog (+155) against Haney (-180), according to Caesars Sportsbook.
“I love the underdog status,” Kambosos said during the final press conference on Friday. “They’ve been against me my whole career. They’ve been saying that my whole career. I’m still the top dog, and after Sunday, I’ll remain the top dog.”
Haney (27-0, 15 KOs) won the WBC interim title in 2019, but was then elevated to full champion when the WBC named Lomachenko its “franchise” champion. Haney has made four defenses, including a unanimous decision victory over Joseph “JoJo” Diaz in December.
“This is the biggest stage, but this is something that I have dreamed of,” Haney said. “I knew that one day I would be here, but I didn’t think that it would come this early, but I’m thankful. It’s time … I feel like I’m the far better fighter. I have far more skills than him.”
Stay here for live results and analysis.
Fight in progress: Yoel Angeloni vs. Ken Aitken, 4 rounds, welterweights
Results:
Junior lightweight Pom Thanawut Phetkum defeated Hussein Fayad by unanimous decision with scores of 40-36, 40-36 and 40-36.
Still to come:
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Title fight: George Kambosos Jr. vs. Devin Haney, 12 rounds, for the undisputed lightweight title
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Jason Moloney vs. Aston Palicte, 10 rounds, bantamweights
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Junior Fa vs. Lucas Browne, 10 rounds, heavyweights
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Andrew Moloney vs. Alexander Espinoza, 8 rounds, junior bantamweights
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Isaias Henriquez Sette vs. Luke Gersbeck, 4 rounds, junior middleweights
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Terry Nickolas vs. Lachlan Higgins, 6 rounds, middleweights
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Taylah Robertson vs. Sarah Higginson, 5 rounds, women’s flyweights
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Hussein Fayad vs. Pom Thanawut Phetkum, 4 rounds, junior lightweights
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David Nyika vs. Karim Maatalla, 5 rounds, cruiserweights
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Hemi Ahio vs. Christian Ndzie Tsoye, 8 rounds, heavyweights