The RAC Arena in Perth, Australia hosts a huge card on Sunday, with home hope George Kambosos Jr defending his IBO lightweight title, and vying for the vacant IBF belt, against gifted Ukrainian, Vasiliy Lomachenko, in the main event.
Sky Sports televise Lomachenko vs Kambosos in the UK, with ESPN+ taking the US rights.
Kambosos Jr (21-2, 10 KOs) built on a 2020 split decision win against Lee Selby by stunning Teofimo Lopez in November 2021, taking the WBA ‘super’, IBF and WBO crowns with a stunning split win, dropping Lopez in round one and having to get off the deck himself in round ten.
An attempt at the undisputed title was unsuccessful though, as Devin Haney took a points win in Melbourne in June 2022. A rematch also proved fruitless, with the American winning even wider four months later, also in Australia.
Kambosos, 30, then seemed very fortunate to take the IBO title from Maxi Hughes last time out, winning a disputed majority verdict in Oklahoma
All-time amateur great, Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is next, in what should be a stern test for the Aussie.
After an early career defeat, double Olympic champion the 36-year-old reigned at featherweight, super featherweight and lightweight as a world champion, until being stunned by the previously mentioned Lopez on points in 2020.
Three comeback wins followed, and he was last out in May 2023, giving a good account of himself before losing a tight decision to another common opponent in Haney.
Prediction: This is a solid clash, but Lomachenko will fancy his chances of breathing new life into his career, especially given Kambosos Jr’s lacklustre performance against Hughes. I favour the away fighter to take a clear decision win.
🇺🇦 LEGEND VS WARRIOR 🇦🇺#LomaKambosos | MAY 11 | @ESPN pic.twitter.com/riu4fBVoEI
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 19, 2024
Moloney meets Guevara
Andrew Moloney (26-3, 16 KOs) saw his brother lose his world title in Japan last week, and he goes for the interim WBC super flyweight title on this card, taking on Pedro Guevara (41-4-1, 22 KOs).
Moloney is a three-time world title challenger, his last attempt coming last May, where he was knocked out by Junto Nakatani in a bid for the vacant WBO title, while Guevara lost a close split decision to Carlos Cuadras last November for the same interim title, and returned with a wide points win in February over ten rounds.
DEVASTING KNOCKOUT 👊 #NakataniMoloney
Watch #HaneyLoma RIGHT NOW on @ESPNPlus PPV pic.twitter.com/ACuAaxmExy
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) May 21, 2023
Prediction: Guevera is the tentative pick to take this on points.
Hughes faces Johnson
More world title action comes at bantamweight, where Essex native Nina Hughes makes a second defence of her WBA title against Cherneka Johnson.
Hughes (6-0, 2 KOs) won her title against Jamie Mitchell in November 2022, and she defended last June, widely outscoring Katie Healy.
Johnson (15-2, 6 KOs) is a former IBF champion, losing her belt last time out to Ellie Scotney on the scorecards.
Prediction: Hughes can retain on points in this one.
Remaining Undercard
Imam Khataev (6-0, 6 KOs) takes a calculated step up in class, and he can win inside the distance in his light heavyweight ten rounder against Ricards Bolotniks (20-7-1, 8 KOs).
The final ten rounder is at heavyweight, where Joseph Goodall (10-2-1, 9 KOs) returns from a stoppage loss to Efe Ajagba last time out, and he can rebound with an early win against Faiga Opelu (16-4-2, 12 KOs).
THAT’S HOW YOU DO IT.
🇳🇬 @AjagbaEfe just put the division on notice. pic.twitter.com/5Cbmmgit6L
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) November 5, 2023
The sole eight rounder is also at heavyweight, where Hemi Ahio (21-1, 16 KOs) should also score a knockout win against the shop-worn Lucas Browne (21-1, 16 KOs).
