Devin Haney beats Kambosos to maintain 4 world light-weight belts

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — American Devin Haney stays the undisputed light-weight boxing champion after outclassing former titleholder George Kambosos Jr. but once more in Melbourne.

Despite sustaining a lower on the proper aspect of his face in the course of the eighth spherical, the 23-year-old Haney was dominant on Sunday whereas claiming a unanimous factors determination over the Australian.

The unbeaten American has received 29 fights, 15 of them by knockout, and has unified the WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring light-weight belts.

Haney outpointed Kambosos, who claimed the 4 titles in an upset win over Teofino Lopez at Madison Square Garden final November, in Melbourne in June when claiming the light-weight belts for the primary time.

Haney proved to be the higher boxer once more with one other victory over Kambosos, who sustained cuts beneath his left eye and above his proper ear which left him bloodied late within the battle.

Haney’s left jab was the distinction within the first battle, however he demonstrated his versatility when utilizing his proper hand to nice impact of their second assembly.

A decisive victor, Haney was awarded a 118-109 verdict by one choose, whereas the opposite two rated him a 118-110 victor.

“I went in there and knew he was looking to the jab. We wanted to show some more tools in my arsenal. I think the right hand won the fight tonight,” Haney mentioned. “He is a warrior. I take my hat off to George Kambosos and all the Australians who came out.”

A second straight defeat raises questions on the way forward for the 29-year-old boxer generally known as “Ferocious” Kambosos, who fell to a 20-2 report with the loss.

Kambosos mentioned within the lead-in to their second battle that he would retire if crushed by Haney once more, although he later walked again on that assertion.

He mentioned it “was not the end” after the loss when praising Haney.

“He is a great fighter. For me, to have the guts to go again with him. He gave me a good boxing lesson in the first round,” he mentioned. “He is a slick man. I gave my greatest. I attempted my coronary heart out tonight. But this man goes to be there for a very long time.

“I gave him a great challenge. A great fight over 24 rounds. He is one of the best in the world in boxing, not just this division.”

Boxing from the pink nook, the Australian began the battle nicely, pinning his rival on the ropes with a flurry of punches shortly earlier than the bell rang to finish the primary spherical.

But the American responded nicely within the following spherical as he began to take management.

The Las Vegas resident landed some robust punches in the course of the third spherical and appeared more and more comfy on each the offensive and defensive.

Haney managed his distance nicely, regardless of the efforts from Kambosos, utilizing his left jab to nice impact whereas additionally displaying nice ability together with his proper. He was in a position to prolong his lead within the fifth spherical regardless of the Sydney-based boxer touchdown some respectable physique photographs.

Having opened up a lower beneath the Australian’s left eye, Haney peppered Kambosos with a collection of jabs within the seventh spherical.

With Jim Kambosos, the Australian’s father, urging the challenger to lift “the pressure,” he went after the titleholder with vigor within the eighth spherical.

It was his greatest sequence for the reason that latter phases of the primary spherical, however by that stage solely a knockout could be sufficient to safe Kambosos victory within the 12-round battle.

Sensing a doable momentum shift, the gang at Rod Laver Arena rallied behind the Australian, who was in a position to open a lower on the right-hand aspect of Haney’s face. But Haney responded by re-asserting his superiority.

“I definitely feel I controlled the fight from round one to round 12,” Haney mentioned. “I knew what I was doing throughout the whole fight. I enjoyed the fight. I put the pressure on and made it entertaining.”

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