George Kambosos Jr. thought he would stare down Vasiliy Lomachenko all week. Too dangerous his eyes didn’t shoot laser beams, as a result of it was about the one method the mediocre Australian was going to beat the previous light-weight world champion.
Lomachenko was considering retirement, however his eleventh spherical stoppage over Kambosos for the vacant IBF light-weight title earlier than an enviornment document 14,147 on the RAC Area in Perth, Western Australia, might have “The Matrix” considering in any other case.
Lomachenko (18-3, 12 knockouts) was merely good, ending a dominant efficiency at 2:49 of the 11 th after flattening the overmatched Kambosos (21-3, 10 KOs) twice.
The Ring’s No. 1 light-weight, Lomachenko regained the IBF belt after shedding it to Teofimo Lopez Jr. in 2020.
At 36, there have been some inkling of doubt if the longer term Corridor of Famer’s talent have been eroding. It didn’t appear like it in opposition to the outclassed Kambosos.
“It seemed like a knockout at present, not ‘No-Mas-Chenko,’” Lomachenko mentioned. “However, you realize, we educated arduous for this second. I need to thank my opponent. He’s a robust man and a real warrior.
“My plan was to regulate to my opponent. That is what I did through the struggle. I knew I wanted to complete robust. And within the final three rounds I used to be looking for his physique.”
This defeat marked the third setback within the final 4 fights for Kambosos, who many thought he additionally misplaced to Maxi Hughes final July in Shawnee, Oklahoma, after dropping two-straight to Devin Haney in shedding the undisputed light-weight world championship after which failing to regain it in a rematch.
Since beating Lopez, Kambosos underwent managerial and camp modifications, shedding a lawsuit to his former supervisor, Peter Kahn, and going via completely different trainers after parting methods with Javiel Centeno.
Since then, Kambosos has been unable to seize the magic he had the night time he beat Lopez.
Lomachenko was utterly baffling to Kambosos within the opening spherical. It was the forebearer of issues to come back. He danced across the restricted Kambosos, who strikes in straight strains, and picked away on the Australian. Because the second closed, Lomachenko nailed Kambosos with a straight left to the face, and adopted by a left-right mixture that had Kambosos stumbling again into the ropes.
Every time Kambosos tried coming ahead with the proper, Lomachenko was not there to be hit, out of vary. With 1:05 left within the third, referee Katsuhiko Nakamura, who Group Kambosos tried to switch, warned Kambosos a couple of borderline proper on the waistline.
The fighters closed the third with a quick alternate, which had Kambosos yelling at his Ukrainian opponent and needed to pushed again to his nook by Nakamura.
With 1:48 left within the fourth, Kambosos popped Lomachenko with a proper, however The Matrix had Kambosos backing up. With 1:13 left within the spherical, Loma tapped Kambosos with a left to the physique, superbly establishing a left to go with 1:07 remaining within the ring.
Kambosos didn’t know what to do in opposition to Lomachenko, who saved going to Kambosos’ left, forcing the Australian to achieve additional to achieve him. With :17 left within the fifth, Lomachenko despatched Kambosos off stability with a left.
After 5 rounds, Lomachenko owned a 73-16 join benefit. He was utterly outclassing the pedestrian Kambosos, who over his final 4 fights has confirmed to be a one-hit surprise.
Lomachenko popped Kambosos with a brief left on the within. Kambosos was getting nicked up.
With 1:34 left within the seventh, Kambosos slipped. About 30 seconds later, Loma had Kambosos backed in a nook. With 46 seconds left within the spherical, Lomachenko nailed Kambosos with a left to the physique. He was systematically breaking down the Australian.
Kambosos, his proper eye swollen, returned to his nook along with his head down after the spherical.
Within the first minute of the eighth, Lomachenko went again to swaying and attacking Kambosos on his left facet, forcing Kambosos to come back a larger distance to land the dominant hand. Loma was smashing Kambosos’ face. He wanted his proper eye attended. The lower was on Kambosos’ eyelid.
LOMA IS A WORLD CHAMP AGAIN.
LOMA IS A WORLD CHAMP AGAIN.
LOMA IS A WORLD CHAMP AGAIN. pic.twitter.com/IZDYaV7bhV
— High Rank Boxing (@trboxing) Might 12, 2024
Lomachenko had Kambosos backing up within the ninth. The stiff Kambosos was once more not capable of counter it. With blood pouring down the proper facet of his face, Kambosos, who confirmed nice guts within the beating he was taking, acquired plowed with a brief left because the ninth closed.
Within the tenth, Lomachenko popped Kambosos with proper after proper, hitting him at will with the jab, after which modified ranges and nailed Kambosos with a brief proper on the jaw.
Because the 11 th spherical started, Lomachenko had outlanded Kambosos 157-38. With 31 seconds left within the eleventh, Lomachenko, seemingly with on a regular basis on the planet, wound up and rammed a left proper into Kambosos’ abdomen, inflicting Kambosos in a delayed transfer to take a knee. Kambosos rose on eight with little left. The Ukrainian closed it at 2:49 of the eleventh with two digging physique photographs. Jim Kambosos, the daddy of George Kambosos Jr., threw within the towel mercifully ending it.
“I by no means ran round throughout my boxing profession,” Lomachenko mentioned. “I all the time take fights. Proper now, I need to come again to my residence, spend time with my household, and after I relaxation a bit bit, we will speak about my future.”
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Journal/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.Comply with @JSantoliquito
