By Ray Wheatley – World of Boxing

Undisputed IBF, WBA, WBO and WBC franchise lightweight champion George “Ferocious” Kambosos Jr. talks to Peter Maniatis about capturing the world titles from Teofimo Lopez and defending the championship in Melbourne in 2022 and how much his father Jimmy Kambosos has helped his career.

“I am the biggest name in Australian boxing and I think the hottest name in boxing currently,” said Kambosos. “Everyone wants a piece and the Kambosos name is worldwide at the moment.”

THE FIGHT AGAINST TEOFIMO LOPEZ

“It was a beautiful moment – the game plan that we executed in the ring was pinpoint. From putting him down in round one, I said it for months, I am going to catch this guy and hit him with my best shot, with a beautiful right hand like Cus D’Amato said and I followed those guidelines.

“I threw that right hand with bad intent and landed it clean, landed it perfect, a right hand I have been throwing my whole career. I have been throwing that punch since my amateur days and knocking people out with it. It was only fitting I would throw it in this biggest fight of my career. It really changed the tempo straight away – I told this kid – here is my punch. I am here to fight. I am so happy I didn’t knock him out with that shot. I am happy I was able to show twelve rounds of beautiful boxing.

“Obviously in round ten I had my own adversity but it showed the warrior I am to not only get up at 1.45 and survive that round and come home strong in rounds eleven and twelve like a true champion that goes through adversity and finishes the fight with bad intent to win the fight and that’s what we did.

ATTENDING THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

“I’m sorry for Stefanos Tsitipas for stealing the moment, but it shows the star power that Ferocious Kambosos has. It’s a very exciting time.

LIFE IN BOXING TODAY

“My life is busy. I had two beautiful sessions today in the gym. Strength and conditioning in the morning and boxing in the afternoon. I am so hungry. People think you win all these belts and you get all this money. Some fighters lose that hunger and focus. I was looking forward to how I would react. The hunger I have, I am even more dedicated. I am sacrificing even more. I have my gym gear in the car and I go to the gym and do twenty-plus rounds. I have very good time management. My family, my kids, my boxing, my training. That is my core. We are very busy these days with many high-powered meetings. A lot of businesspeople.

“I am a brand now. I am the Ferocious Kambosos brand. The Emperor. A very big brand in Australia. I go to the shops now. One or two photos and it is a three or four hour event. It’s fine. I give my time to everybody. One dollar or a hundred million dollars, I don’t change. One belt of five belts. When I was at the Australian Open and hijacked the tennis. I was there with my people. To give them my love and support. To be there two hours plus maybe three hours. Taking photos after photos. Hugging people. It’s incredible.”

PROUD OF WINNING FIVE BELTS

“I am very proud of my WBC belt as I am very proud of all my belts. The IBF belt, the WBA belt, the WBO belt and the Ring Magazine belt. I really love the Ring Magazine belt. They are all very important to me. That’s why I train hard. Still pushing hard. Life is busy for me but nothing has changed. I am so embedded in what I do best and that’s in the ring.”

MEGA FIGHT IN AUSTRALIA IN 2022

“I am a man of my word and when I said I want to come back to Australia and do a “ Mega Fight” with the best names. I could have had a tune-up fight. I could have had an easy touch, made a few million here, and defended the belts easily. I said I was going to fight Lomachenko or Devin Haney.”

“We are very close. I am not going to give away exactly who it is but we are very close.

“That beautiful stadium. The date that everyone is hearing is close. There will be a big announcement coming soon. Melbourne has been mentioned. The fight is in Melbourne. I will give that. We will be there two weeks out. My camp is in Sydney. I am here with my American team. I am doing a lot of work with Ronnie Sinclair, my old coach Chris Bakkus and my strength and conditioning coach, and my head trainer Javiel Centeno, the man with the plan that broke down Teofimo Lopez. We put a lot of hard work into that camp. It’s very exciting for what I have achieved in my career. The sky is the limit.

“To come back to Australia and defend against the biggest name possible. It shows what I am about and that I am a man of my word. I am here chasing legacy.”

SPARRING MANNY PACQUIAO

“Manny Pacquiao is an absolute legend of the sport and like I said many times, it was an honour to train with him and get 250 rounds (sparring) under my belt. That beautiful southpaw sparring. The greatest southpaw ever and to get that under my belt. That is great experience for when I step inside the ring.

I’m fully prepared for anybody when I step inside that ring. I showed that in the Teofimo Lopez fight. There are a lot of high powered business people and star athletes that want a piece of Ferocious Kambosos. It’s doesn’t matter if they are the Prime Minister of Australia or a homeless guy in the street. I respect everybody the same. I spend time with people. Sometimes my wife says to go down the shop to get a few things. She knows it can take three or four hours because I talk and take photos with everybody. That’s the person I am.

ON HIS FATHER JIMMY KAMBOSOS

“Me and my father started this many years ago. When I was a young kid traveling three or four hours in the car to get amateur fights.

“When we turned professional it was only me and him. We took the risk. Obviously, my wife took that risk and traveled to America and I took my kids over so that shows the kind of family I have. My father has been there since day one. He puts his heart and soul into it. He is very passionate. For not only his son but for all his fighters. We got Terry Nickolas who has a big fight coming up. We have a lot of other guys who are exciting and they are prospects who are talented professionals.

“My fight coming up, my megafight, my return to Australia will not only be DiBella Entertainment but Ferocious Promotions. To see my promotional company up in bright lights on the world scene is special. Our fighters will be on there. This is what it’s all about. Show them anything is possible when you truly believe. Giving opportunities to guys who normally would not get opportunities, who don’t have that big support behind them. It’s a good position to be in and the biggest face in world boxing.”