In a deeply controversial outcome, George Kambosos Jr (21-2, 10 Kos) was given twelve round majority decision in an IBF lightweight title eliminator on Saturday night against Maxi Hughes (26-6-2, 5 KOs) that had the crowd furious at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
The scores were 114-114, 117-111, 115-113. After the fight, Lomachenko revealed he’ll be fighting Vasily Lomachenko next.
Hughes fought well enough to deserve a wide decision win, as Kambosos was dominated as badly as his last fight against Devin Haney.
Hughes appeared to almost every round, which is why it was so shocking to see two of the judges score it for Kambosos. The 117-111 score was absolutely horrendous.
The southpaw Hughes outboxed the former unified lightweight champion Kambosos, picking him apart with left hands each time he would come forward looking to land.
Kambosos was cut over his right eye from a left hand from Hughes in the second round. In the fifth, Hughes suffered a cut over his left eye from a clash of heads.
In the later rounds, Kambosos got desperate, using a straight arm to walk in, and then roughing Hughes up by sticking his head into his face after he’d miss with a shot.
After the fight, Kambosos was asked if he’d be interested in giving Hughes a rematch, and he said possibly after he first challenges for a world title.
George Kambosos: “We won the fight by many rounds, but that’s no discredit to Maxi Hughes. He had a couple of good rounds, but a couple of good rounds but a couple of good rounds don’t win you a fight,” said Kambosos to Top Rank Boxing.
“We won the majority of the rounds, and look, that’s the reason we chose him. He was a hard test. A lot of guys coming off losses wouldn’t want to take a test like him. A champion, a guy that’s been on a big win streak, and he’s rated all over the sanctioning bodies, inside the top 10 of the Ring Magazine.”
“This was a hard challenge and big credit to Maxi Hughes. I got through this fight. I believe won the majority of the rounds, and look this is a movement into the next step.
“I got to get more grittier [or greedier]. He done his movement, and he wasn’t too much engaging, but that’s the way he fights. We knew he was going to be a tough challenge, but styles make fights. I’m going to be greedier with these guys and let my hands go.
“We were happy to get this great win tonight and pick up this new world title [IBO lightweight to add to the collection, and we’ll sit back with the team. But they’re great fighters [Shakur Stevenson & Vasily Lomachenko]. Shakur Stevenson is a great fighter.
“Vasily Lomachenko, we were meant to do it many times. I believe that’s the next fight to be done.
On whether he’ll give Maxi Hughes a rematch:
“Look, this was for the IBF eliminator. The next step is for the IBF title, but I go get that IBF title; I know he’ll bounce back,” said Kambosos when asked if he’d give Hughes a rematch.
“He’s a tough challenger. This guy was #9 in the world. Don’t discredit him. He was a tough, and it was an honor to share the ring with him. Yes, if the opportunity is there, we’ll give him a rematch.”
Keyshawn Davis defeats Francesco Patera
In undercard action, lightweight Keyshawn Davis (9-0, 6 KOs) won a one-sided ten round unanimous decision win over Francesco Patera (28-4, 10 KOs).
Keyshawn was economical with his punches but still found a way to drop Patera with aa right hand in the eighth. Patera came back to hurt Davis in the waning seconds of the ninth.
The score were 100-89, 100-89, and 99-90.