George Kambosos Jr. hasn’t ruled out a second showdown with Teofimo Lopez. The former unified lightweight champion took a 12-round points victory over late replacement Jake Wyllie on Saturday, marking his first bout since moving up to 140 pounds. Kambosos, 31, became a global name when he upset Lopez in 2021, and believes that joining Lopez’s new weight class might open the door for a long-awaited sequel.
Kambosos insists that any potential rematch must be “fair” and that he’s not interested in a repeat of their first encounter’s circumstances – this time, he wants the fight on neutral ground or in Australia. “I beat him in his hometown,” he said, “so it’d only be right if Lopez grabs his passport and comes here, or we go somewhere else like Saudi Arabia.” First, however, the undefeated Richardson Hitchins is a likely next opponent for Kambosos, with promoter Eddie Hearn suggesting a clash for the IBF title in June.
Watch Kambosos vs. Wyllie beyond the bell: Watch
Meanwhile, Lopez, 27, is set to defend his WBO junior welterweight belt on May 2 against Arnold Barboza Jr. Kambosos acknowledges Barboza as a “tough ask,” but also notes that both men had once discussed a fight of their own. “There are so many options for me at 140,” Kambosos says, mentioning names like Hitchins and Barboza before adding, “a lot of people hate to say it, but Kambosos is still one of the biggest names in the boxing world.”
The Australian also reflected on his battles with Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko - both of whom handed him defeats. While praising their ring IQ and contrasting styles, he suggests Lopez lags slightly behind them in terms of difficulty for his style. Whether he chooses Hitchins, Barboza, or eventually Lopez once more, Kambosos vows to proceed “one step at a time” as he hunts for another world title.
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