By: Sean Cross
He made it look easy in the past.
George Kambossos felt he was going to rock Devin Hanni the way he upset Teofimo Lopez when the two men met last June in Kambossos’ native Australia. While Kambosos’ skill set has impressed Lopez on his way to winning Lopez’s IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles, Kambosos was most shocked when he first faced Hani, his, and last, defense of those belts. But now Kambosos has a chance to win back those belts – along with the WBC lightweight title – when he faces Hani for the second time tomorrow.
However, most people are waiting for a replay of the first fight – if not stylistically, at least in terms of ring dominance. Hani is expected to claim a big win on Saturday, although Kambossos is a definite decider and despite facing Kambossos again in the man’s home country of Australia. While it’s true that 20-1 Kambossos is a very good fighter, 28-0 Hani looks like he could be a great fighter…and the distance between excellence and greatness is wide.
Of course, it’s worth noting that Kambosos shocked a lot of people when he lost to Lopez. But Lopez isn’t as composed as Honey is in the ring. The truth is that Hani, the undisputed lightweight champion, is a good customer. If he elects Kambossos for a second term, he has some big – some very big – names. Naturally, he needs to win this weekend if he wants his future to stay this bright. Kambosos, on the other hand, must win to stay in the conversation. Hani-Kambossos 2 will be broadcast live on ESPN and ESPN+ starting at 10pm ET Saturday night.
