Teófimo López vs. George Kambosos Jr. was a lightweight professional boxing match between unified WBA, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight champion Teófimo López, and IBF mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr.
In an incredible turn of events, George Kambosos Jr. has stunned the unbeaten Teofimo Lopez in a split decision to be crowned the unified IBF, WBO, WBA and the Ring Lightweight Champion of the world.
Teofimo Lopez promised to enter the ring against George Kambosos Jr. and defend his unified lightweight world championships with a first-round knockout. Lopez tried to deliver on his word by coming out firing with massive power shots in the opening frame, but it was Kambosos who scored the knockdown with a monster of an overhand right.
The blood bath was worth it as the fight was 100% of what boxing lovers expected. The hype the fight received from the media lived to prove nothing contrary to what was promised by both boxers.
Teofimo Lopez was given a doze of his own medicine as he was floored by George Kambosos Jr. Lopez (16-1, 12 KOs) picked himself off the canvas after the knockdown but spent much of the fight walking forward into flurries from Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs), never putting together extended streaks of offense.
Kambosos said after the fight, “Did I change all week? Have I changed my whole career? Never,” I believed in myself. You’s might not believe it, but I believe in myself. I’ve got all the jewels. I’m not the king, I’m the emperor, because I come to every other country and take them out, one by one.”
The official scorecards read 115-111, 113-114, 115-112, with Kambosos winning on two of the cards. That was enough for Kambosos to walk out of Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater with three of the four recognized world championships at lightweight.
Lopez who believed otherwise after the verdict said, “I won tonight, man, everybody knows that. The referee raised my hand, everybody knows that. I won tonight. At the end of the day, man, I’m a true champion. I did what I had to do, I went out there and I did my best.”
“You’re a bit delusional, brother,” Kambosos said. “Listen, I got the belts, I won the fight. I won it clean and clear. But I give you respect. Take it like a champ and move on. We can do it again in Australia in front of 80,000 people.”
To end all the long talk after Lopez claimed victory was his, the current champion responded in the most simplest form as he invited Lopez to a rematch on the new champ’s turf.
I am a young and vibrant sports journalist from Ghana, a member of the Sports Writers’ Association of Ghana(SWAG), and working with Sports Preview Ghana and sports reporting outfit poised to bring all the latest and trending sports news around the globe.
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