Former IBF and WBO lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr. desperately needed a win on Saturday night—and he got one, though not in the way he originally expected. His scheduled opponent, Indonesia’s Daud Yordan, withdrew due to illness, leaving 24-year-old Jake Wyllie to step up on just five days’ notice at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park.
Despite the short preparation time, Wyllie showed tremendous heart, taking Kambosos the full distance and turning what could have been a routine comeback into a hard-fought, memorable night. His spirited performance didn’t go unnoticed, earning him a contract with promoter Eddie Hearn. For Kambosos, it marked his first outing since last year’s crushing defeat to Ukrainian boxing legend Vasyl Lomachenko.
The Aussie’s career has been a rollercoaster—from shocking the world with his upset victory over Teofimo Lopez in 2021 to back-to-back defeats against Devin Haney. Yet, ‘Ferocious’ isn’t done writing his story, as he moved to 140 pounds. With renewed focus, he’s now set his sights on becoming a two-weight world champion, having secured a title shot against IBF super lightweight champion Richardson Hitchins.
Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn revealed after the fight that an end-of-June date has been reserved for Hitchins to defend his IBF belt against the 31-year-old Australian in New York. In the meantime, Kambosos has taken this opportunity to send the undefeated Brooklyn, New York native a message. “I’ll see you soon,” Kambosos Jr. said during an interview with The Ring.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 31: George Kambosos Jr. celebrates at the end of his Leightweight bout with Rodynie Rafol during the Footy Show Fight Night at Allphones Arena on January 31, 2015 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“I know you’re gonna get a little bit of confidence from today, but you ain’t anything like that, so, very soon,” he continued. “I’ll come back to New York, come back to Las Vegas. I’ll take your belt. I know you hate that 10-pound with the IBF, so it’s gonna be great for me. Let’s go. You better not run.” He later added a six-word ultimatum, stating, “Fight me like he did today.”
While Kambosos just got done with his first fight of the year, Hitchins is yet to see action in 2025. The 27-year-old is coming off a close win over Liam Paro in December last year. Meanwhile, even though Kambosos is worried Hitchins might run from him, little does he know that the Manhattan resident was hoping Kambosos would win the fight.
Richardson Hitchins gets his prayer answered as George Kambosos Jr. secures the win
Richardson Hitchins got exactly what he was hoping for. George Kambosos Jr. secured a hard-fought win over Jake Wyllie, keeping Hitchins’ dream matchup alive. Hitchins has been eyeing Kambosos for some time. Despite admitting he can’t stand the Australian fighter, Hitchins has been openly rooting for him. “If George Kambosos can’t get the W, we’re gonna make sure it’s a fight that the fans deserve,” Hitchins told Fight Hype.
Now, with Kambosos back in the win column, Hitchins can finally set his sights on the fight he craves. A win over Kambosos, especially after his famous upset victory over Teofimo Lopez, would be career-defining. Hitchins didn’t hide how important it was. “I’m not gonna come back and defend my title against a bum,” he said. “But I pray Kambosos gets the win.” Prayer answered.
It appears George Kambosos Jr. has the opportunity to become a two-weight world champion with the confirmation of his fight against Richardson Hitchins in June. But the question is, who will win that fight?
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