MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australian George Kambosos and American Devin Haney will fight for the undisputed lightweight championship of the world at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium on June 5, organisers announced on Friday.
Kambosos, who won four of the world lightweight belts with his stunning upset of Teofimo Lopez in New York last November, had insisted he would defend his titles on home soil.
The 28-year-old had been in negotiations to fight Ukrainian Vasiliy Lomachenko in his first defence but those plans were scuppered when the former champion elected to stay at home and help defend his country against the Russian invasion.
“It is good to be back home, five years I’ve been on the road, five years I’ve been doing it tough,” Kambosos told a news conference at Docklands Stadium.
“There were only two names I ever asked for for this fight, Lomachenko and Devin Haney. Unfortunately, Lomachenko’s not available. Beautiful, Devin Haney step up, now we’ll take your belt.”
Haney (27-0) has held the World Boxing Council title since 2019, successfully defending it four times.
“I’m so grateful for this opportunity, I can’t wait,” the 23-year-old said by video link from the United States.
“It’s going to be a hell of a fight and there will finally be a king of the division.”
The bout will take place at the 53,000-capacity venue on Sunday afternoon Australian time, allowing it to be broadcast in prime time on June 4 in North America.
Kambosos (20-0) can expect strong backing in the stadium from his fellow Greek-Australians. Melbourne boasts the largest Greek population of any city in the world outside Greece.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Peter Rutherford)
