Not long to go now until George Kambosos Jr and Devin Haney get it on in Australia with all the 135 pound titles on the line. Haney really is going into the lion’s den: hostile territory, less money than he feels he should be earning, his father and trainer missing (due to not being allowed in the country due to visa issues). And Haney feels he will be rewarded big time when he wins the fight.
Speaking with Mail Online, the WBC lightweight champion who is confident he will come out of Australia with all four 135 pound belts around his waist, says a win will see him placed in the coveted pound-for-pound rankings. Haney is right when he says the current lightweight division is one of the most talent-rich in the sport today, and as such he feels he himself, as undisputed king, will have to be ranked highly in the mythical P-4-P rankings.
“The pound-for-pound list is very near,” Haney, 27-0(15) said. “With this win I will be put in the pound-for-pound ranking lists – they have no choice. They say that the lightweight division is the best division in boxing and now there’s one king with all the belts. Me being on the pound-for-pound list will be an achievement for me.”
There is no doubt, Haney will make a big statement if he can defeat Kambosos Jr. We are, we think, heading towards a great fight, with both men willing to give their all. Kambosos has no intentions of losing his belts in his first defence, while Haney has zero intentions of going all the way to Australia and losing his big chance to rule the world (would Haney get a second shot if he lost at the weekend?)
Haney says the smart boxing people know what he’s about, and that they agree with him when he says he will get the win over Kambosos.
“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “The true boxing people, the true boxing fans who know the game, they know what I bring to the table. I just wanna execute it on June 4. I can say what I wanna say, he can say what he wanna say, but it’s definitely different on the outside looking in and I will show him that it’s levels. He made it to this level, he deserved it, he beat Teo fair and square…..but I’m on a different level and I will show him.”
Kambosos, 20-0(10) feels it is he who is the fighter on a different level. We will soon see. One of the most solid match-ups that can be made at world title level today, Kambosos-Haney could be a classic.
Pick: I’m going for Haney to box magnificently to win a close decision. Then we will have the rematch to look forward to.