SUMMARY
- A date has been set for the vacant IBF lightweight title fight between Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr.
- Both fighters are excited to get in the ring and put on a show for the Australian crowd.
Vasyl Lomachenko is set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF Lightweight Championship. The fight will take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. It will headline a fight card on Saturday, May 11, 2024, on ESPN in the United States, beginning late at night.
Ukrainian boxer Lomachenko is one of the most accomplished athletes. He won multiple Olympic gold medals as well as multiple boxing world championships. He has also bagged multiple world titles in different weight classes.
🥊 ANNOUNCED: Vasyl Lomachenko will face George Kambosos for the vacant IBF lightweight world title on Sunday, May 12th in Australia (May 11th USA time, early hours of May 12th UK time).
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) January 31, 2024
After winning the WBA (Super) and The Ring lightweight titles in 2018, he added the WBO and WBC titles. In 2020, he faced Teofimo Lopez and lost his WBA (Super), WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles via unanimous decision.
Almost a year later, Kambosos got the better of Lopez to become the unified lightweight champion. Kambosos, the current IBO lightweight world champion, is an Aussie of Greek descent. He was undefeated at 20-0 after his win over Lopez. However, he faced back-to-back defeats against Devin Haney and lost his titles. Lomachenko also got his shot at the unified titles against Haney but the Ukrainian also suffered defeat.
Both Vasyl Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. fancy their chances against each other
Lomachenko, who has never fought professionally in Australia, is hoping to ruin the day for the home fans. According to The Ring, he said. “I am excited for the opportunity to fight once again for a world title. George Kambosos Jr. is a good fighter, and I know I must prepare well to earn the victory.
“Fighting in Australia will be a new experience, and I am looking forward to giving the people of Perth a great fight.”
On the other hand, 30-year-old Kambosos has immense respect for his next opponent. He said, “I am extremely motivated and eager to face off with the legendary Vasiliy Lomachenko. Once again, I will bring a world championship showdown and a mega stadium fight to Australian shores. This will be a battle between two modern-day warriors.”
For Kambosos, this fight is “about cementing the immortal boxing legacy I want to leave behind.”
Just over three months away from the fight, both fighters already have their game face on. Kambosos (21-2) last faced Maxi Hughes at the Firelake Arena, Oklahoma, USA, in July 2023. The Aussie won the fight via Majority Decision and claimed the IBO lightweight title.
Meanwhile, Lomachenko (17-3) was on a three-match win streak after facing defeat against Lopez. However, in his last fight, in May 2023, he faced a loss against Haney at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US