Emiliano Vargas targets George Kambosos as proving ground at 140

Vargas says he wants a former champion next as Kambosos’ role shifts at 140

Emiliano Vargas says he wants to face a former world champion next and has pointed to George Kambosos as an option. The unbeaten contender is targeting a step up at 140.

Kambosos (22-4, 10 KOs), once a unified lightweight champion, now sits in a different role after going 2-4 since his upset win over Teofimo Lopez. Losses to Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko, and Richardson Hitchins have shifted how he’s viewed.

When a fighter loses 4 (or 5) of their last 6, beating them becomes a requirement for a prospect, not an achievement for a contender. By the time Emiliano gets to him, Kambosos will be 32 with a lot of “miles” from those wars with Lopez, Haney, and Lomachenko.

If Emiliano beats Kambosos, it will be spun as a “coming of age” moment by promoters. In reality, it’s a calculated business move to build a star using the shell of a former champion.

Vargas (17-0, 14 KOs) made that positioning clear when discussing the matchup.

“It’s definitely the fight that I would love to make,” Emiliano said to Ring Magazine. “I’ve vowed for my next fight to be against a former world champion.”

The appeal for Emiliano is clear. A victory over a recognizable former champion propels him toward a title shot without the wait and having to take risky fights against contenders. Kambosos is now being used as a stepping stone for the next generation.

“I believe his best days are still here. He’s an exceptional fighter, and this is a great test for the world to see that I belong on the championship level,” Vargas said.

Beating Kambosos didn’t help Richardson Hitchins increase his stardom, as we saw last year. Hitchins actually stopped Kambosos in 8 rounds in June 2025, a feat even Devin Haney couldn’t pull off. Yet, despite that dominant performance, Hitchins hasn’t seen a massive surge in stardom. Why? Because the boxing public has already mentally “cashed out” on Kambosos.

“Study my fight with him and take notes. I served him up already. He’s not the same, but good luck, though, champ,” Hitchins said.

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