Though it isn’t a fight many individuals had been calling for after their first encounter, the rematch between Devin Haney and George Kambosos takes place this weekend in Melbourne, writes Elliot Worsell
REMATCHES in boxing have a tendency to occur for all method of causes, with some extra legit and worthy than others. There will, for starters, be the rematch that’s triggered by the shut nature of a first fight, or in some instances the controversial nature of a first fight. There can even be the rematch as reward for the motion followers witnessed between two fighters in fight primary. Then there can be rematches contracted or, in different phrases, agreed earlier than we’ve even had a probability to see what occurs when the 2 boxers share a ring.
The final of these causes often comes into play when a champion has been dethroned. It is at that time they may have determined, whatever the method by which they had been dethroned, that dented pleasure is simply too painful a feeling to not a minimum of strive to regain all they’ve misplaced. It is at that time a rematch clause is activated and a rematch, whether or not it’s required or not, takes place.
This, on the face of it, would seem the inspiration for lightweights Devin Haney and George Kambosos renewing acquaintances this Sunday (October 16) in Melbourne, Australia, simply 4 months after their first encounter. For it may be for no different purpose. Their first fight, in spite of everything, was neither shut nor notably thrilling and, furthermore, no one who watched the primary fight could have been calling to see a repeat of it anytime quickly.
It is merely due to a contractual obligation, subsequently, that Kambosos, the previous light-weight champion whose reign was transient, is granted a second go at beating Haney, 28-0 (15), this weekend in his house nation. For him, and solely him, the fight makes full sense and is one he must take, if simply to restore his pleasure. It can also be a fight he could have by now satisfied himself he can win, regardless of his lack of ability to do a lot with Haney first time round, and one he has advised himself he wants so as to proper all of the issues he bought fallacious again in June.
That’s simply the mindset of a fighter, after all, and Kambosos, 20-1 (10), is definitely a type of. He speaks like a fighter, he strikes like a fighter, and he behaves a fighter. Indeed, many argued earlier than his June fight with Haney that Kambosos’ lack of ability to stay calm and indifferent within the warmth of battle – that’s, his lack of ability to cease functioning and considering like a fighter – would finally lead to his downfall in opposition to the extra naturally gifted and composed American. It confirmed all through, too, with Kambosos wound up and overly emotional heading into the fight after which, in the course of the fight, crippled by the form of anxiousness and desperation felt solely by these attempting too exhausting in entrance of their very own followers.
Haney, in distinction, couldn’t have reduce a cooler determine. Not as soon as overwhelmed, not by the Australian crowd nor Kambosos huffing and puffing, he remained settled and clean always and, whereas maybe not essentially the most thrilling fight of 2022, the exhibition he placed on behind the jab was probably the greatest any boxer has produced this calendar yr. In reality, one may argue the fight was gained on that punch alone, the necessity for others decreased each by its high quality and the area it granted Haney to transfer. Furthermore, so amped up was his opponent, and so simple was his method, all it took was a single, double or triple serving to of this jab to deter him, not in contrast to the stabbing of a matador’s sword within the presence of a bull.
The query now, as we put together for the rematch, is that this: to what extent was Kambosos’ battle due to his personal limitations as a fighter and to what extent was it due to him merely adopting the fallacious method? If Haney’s jabbing clinic uncovered his limitations, there’s arguably no hope for Kambosos, no matter how loudly the house followers cheer and the way succesful he’s of motivating himself. However, if Kambosos naively believed the method he took to beating Teofimo Lopez in 2021 could be simply as efficient in opposition to a utterly completely different fighter (each bodily and psychologically), there’s perhaps room for optimism, and for change, and for a completely different Kambosos in fight two.
Only he’ll know the reply to that query. He will, as common, discuss a nice fight within the days main up to it and he’ll, on fight night time, resemble the determine of a warrior out for justice; somebody who this time is aware of all of the solutions. Yet in the long run, when it comes down to it, when the speaking stops and all we’ve to go on is factual proof, it’s the left jab and composure of Devin Haney that can doubtless as soon as once more communicate louder than something his keen however restricted Australian opponent can muster over the course of 12 rounds.
On the Melbourne undercard there are appearances for the Maloney twins, Jason and Andrew, each of whom deal with vastly skilled opponents.
For Jason, a bantamweight with a 24-2 (19) professional file, meaning a fight in opposition to Thailand’s Nawaphon Sor Rungvisai, a professional since 2009 whose file stands at 56-1-1 (46). It’s necessary to notice that these 58 bouts all occurred in Thailand, after all, the place the competitors isn’t at all times the strongest, and in addition that Sor Rungvisai is now 31, so might have seen higher days.
Maloney, too, is 31, although one imagines hasn’t bought the identical variety of miles on the clock. He has gained three in a row since being stopped by Naoya Inoue in 2020 and must be favoured to make that 4 this weekend.
His brother Andrew, in the meantime, a flyweight, fights Norbelto Jimenez, a 12-year professional from the Dominican Republic whose final loss got here in opposition to Britain’s Khalid Yafai in 2019. Also on a run of three straight wins, Maloney, 24-2 (16), ought to have an excessive amount of for Jimenez, 31-9-6 (16), and will even strive to drive a stoppage, which might, ought to he obtain it, be his third on the trot.
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