So much to fight for. It's all or nothing.
Matchroom has now confirmed the fight will be held on Saturday, November 27 (November 28 in Australia).
The bout will be held at Madison Square Garden's Hulu Theatre in New York City on Thanksgiving weekend.
Times and schedules are still to be confirmed, but expect the main event to go down in the mid-afternoon AEDT.
In a GCT exclusive, it has been revealed that the date has been tentatively set for 27 November 2021, somewhere in America, where our very own Greek-Australian fighter George “Ferocious” Kambosos Jr, takes on the current unified WBA, IBF and WBO world champion Teofimo Lopez. Also, up for grabs is the WBC franchise belt as well as the highly coveted Ring Magazine Lineal Championship.
The vagueness around when and where the fight will take place is with thanks to the bout being postponed several times, where Lopez pulled out of the scheduled 19 June clash after contracting Coronavirus, rejected a 14 August bout replacement date after suffering flu-like symptoms and again on 4 October at the Madison Square Garden bout in NYC.
This much-anticipated bout has attracted a lot of attention and hasn’t gone unnoticed by the IBF who have issued Lopez’s team a stern and final warning against another date change. “I was ready then, I am ready now.” Kambosos told GCT. “My focus hasn’t changed, it hasn’t shifted and if anything, I’ve taken the time to further build, strengthen and develop myself - not only physically, but mentally also. I’ve left the legal and managerial matters up to my lawyer and my dad who is my manager, and I remain undistracted. I’m focused. I’m in the gym every day. I’m ready to fight him now, I was ready to fight him then and I’ll be ready to fight him at any point in the future.”
Winning 86 of his 100 amateur fights, Kambosos decided to turn professional, giving up the opportunity to represent in the Olympic Games and since then has fought 19 times, won all 19 bouts and 10 were by way of knock-out, with one main focus; to become world champ.
Referring to himself as a Greek-Australian, Kambosos fights for both nations, homeland and motherland. Born and bred in Australia as a Greek-Australian, he has never turned away from his heritage, culture and traditions. “I’m as Australian as they come. I went to school at Endeavour Sports High School in the Sutherland Shire. I live in the Shire. We love the Shire. It’s God’s country. Obviously, I’m just kidding around.” Laughed Kambosos. “Australia is filled with multiple nationalities and ethnicities; it is a truly multicultural country and a magnificent place to live, raise a family and prosper. We are fortunate to be living in a country that not only allows but supports, welcomes and embraces its people, who come from different countries around the world. We don’t know how blessed we are!” Said Kambosos.
“My all-or-nothing approach saw me get my health and fitness in good order and with it came the love, passion and determination for a sport I never really dreamt of becoming the best at. That vision came later. It came as I saw just how good I was becoming. The fire began to burn inside of me, and I simply needed to become the best in the world, a world champ.” Explained Kambosos. “I knew I could do it then, I know I can do it now… and I will do it against Lopez. There are no ifs, there are no buts!”
Photography by Nick Bourdaniotis, Copyright Greek City Times.