The people in Perth get ready to rumble when Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr get in the ring-Bob Arum
The vacant IBF lightweight world title fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr was formally announced today from Perth, Australia, by Top Rank’s Bob Arum, Adam Noble-Forcey reports for ProBox TV.
The legendary promoter has drawn acclaim as boxing’s most excellent, with historic nights such as The Rumble in the Jungle and the Thrilla in Manila starring all-time great Muhammad Ali.
Arum heads to Perth in Western Australia with help from the local government to bring Ukraine’s former three-weight world champion to fight Sydney’s Kambosos at the RAC Arena on May 12.
“These are two accomplished fighters,” Arum said by video call at today’s official press conference. “Vasiliy Lomachenko was the most outstanding amateur fighter in the history of boxing. He had 397 amateur fights and lost only one. As a professional, he’s won world titles from 126 to 135. He is technically considered one of the greatest masters of boxing.
“And George Kambosos is a fighter who always is in the fight, giving his all and performing splendidly. The people in Perth, Australia, and the world are in for a huge treat when these two great fighters meet in the ring in Perth.
Like fans worldwide, fans in Perth will fall in love with Lomachenko even though he will be fighting an Aussie because Lomachenko is such a gentleman and a sterling person. I remember when the Russians attacked Ukraine, Loma was training for a fight outside of Ukraine.
He immediately left, flew to Romania, and drove to the suburb of Odessa, where he lived, to wear a uniform to help defend his country. He is an exemplary person, a great person, a great family man; everything that could be good for the sport of boxing is personified by Vasiliy Lomachenko.”
Arum co-promotes the event with Kambosos’s promoter, Lou DiBella, and Australian outfit No Limit. The fight will be aired on ESPN in America and Main Event in Australia. It is assumed the about will be aired on Sky Sports in the UK due to their broadcast deal with Top Rank.
Lomachenko comes off a contentious points defeat to Devin Haney in Las Vegas last May.
“Everybody sitting with me ringside in my area had it eight-rounds for Lomachenko, four-rounds Haney,” Arum added. “I, at worst, thought Loma pulled it out at seven to five.
The good judges saw it differently from other spectators and me. It is what it is; it can happen when the judges are very subjective on how they score a fight. Loma took that loss like a grown-up, and now he looks to resume his career with a win and another lightweight world title in Perth against a formidable competitor in George Kambosos.”
