George Kambosos Jr was his usual outspoken self at his first face-to-face press conference with Devin Haney, ahead of their undisputed lightweight championship fight on Saturday (Sunday in Australia) in Melbourne.
Kambosos (20-0, 10 KO) was exactly the same as we saw him in press conferences last year before his fight with Teofimo Lopez — brash, throwing accusations, trying to get into his opponent’s head, and maybe succeeding a little bit at the very least.
Bad Left Hook will have live coverage for Kambosos vs Haney on Saturday, June 4, starting at 9 pm ET.
Here’s some of what Kambosos said.
On fighting in Australia for the first time in five years
“It’s great to be back home. Five years of hard work, everyone knows the story. I’ve had to go through every bit of adversity, I’ve had to earn my belts the hardest way. Not like this guy, who got given a present. I earned mine. I took the best out. So it’s great to be back home, great to have the support. I know that stadium is going to be buzzing. I just love to fight. It’s me and him in there, in that ring. This is a great moment in Australian boxing.”
On being the underdog again on the sportsbooks
“It’s OK, I’ve been the underdog my whole career. I was never meant to be here. I kept turning up and I am the top dog, I am the top guy. It’s no problem. He can have me whatever odds, just like I was in the Lopez fight, and I will handle business.”
On Haney being an “informant” before Kambosos’ fight with Teofimo Lopez
“I really don’t know how they let this guy into the country, to be honest. I don’t think they let informants into the country. This guy is an informant, this guy is a rat. I will tell you why. In the Teofimo Lopez fight, he was messaging me, telling me all the details, every bit. ‘Teo at the hookah lounge, Teo having problems with his wife.’
“This is the kind of person? This is a rat. This is a sneaky informant, and you know what? Your own countryman, you’re going behind his back. I’m gonna whip your ass, and when you get back to Las Vegas, you’ll be on the lookout for Teofimo Lopez, because he’ll be looking for you, too. Trust me.
“This guy acts like a gangsta, he ain’t a gangsta, he’s as fake as that belt.”
On the fan support back home
“To fight for both of my countries and give honor to my countries means the world to me. I’d die for my country and they’d die for me. I respect every person in my country, I’d never turn my back on anyone in my country. Not like (Haney).”
On preparing for Haney
“The guy likes to run, he likes to move, nothing special. The holes are there. He’s been hurt by an old Jorge Linares. He was hurt by a little featherweight in JoJo Diaz. I was there ringside, I nearly fell asleep to be honest, because it was that boring. But now I get to step inside the ropes and punish this guy.”
On how big the fight will be around the world
“This is huge. It’s obviously on PPV here, ESPN free to air in the U.S. This is what the sport’s bout, and I made this happen. I chose the biggest fights possible. I took out Teofimo Lopez. Everyone knew I was prepared to fight Lomachenko, that was done. He couldn’t make it because of his war. No problem, Devin, you wanna step up, step up. He did, OK. But he was forced into this. He is not my mandatory. … I chose you. You are not my mandatory, I picked you. And you’re here.”
On Haney calling him an actor
“Beautiful. I’d rather be an actor than a rat. You little snitch.”
On whether he thought he’d ever sell out a stadium
“Yes. I’ve manifested it for many years. I said it before the Lopez fight, that I’ll win all these belts and bring them back home to a stadium. Everything I have said has come true. I believed it and this is beautiful.”
On whether Haney is the best opponent he can fight
“He’s a guy with a half a piece that he parades around. That’s all I want. That’s what I will take on Sunday. That’s the reason he’s here.”