Via Sean Jones: George Kambosos Jr’s recent miraculous victory over Teofimo Lopez last November earned him four belts and the undisputed lightweight world champion title.
Many knowledgeable people feel that Kambosos’ victory doesn’t make him No. 1. It just means that he was more likely to beat a boxer who should have been in the hospital that night, not that in the boxing ring.
Sean Jones ranks the top lightweight devices in this order:
1. Vasily Lomachenko
2. Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis
3. Michel Rivera
4. Ryan Garcia
5. Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz
6. Jorge Linares
7. Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero
8. Devin Haney
9. Richard Commey
10. George Kambosos Jr.
Kambosos is a good beginner fighter, but he’s clearly NOT the best or even in the top 5. By Sean Jones’ estimates, a healthy Teofimo will destroy Kambosos in one round.
Even though Kambosos (20-0, 10 KOs) won all of those belts, he didn’t prove himself to be the #1 boxer in the 135th weight class.
If anything, Kambosos showed that he could defeat a wounded, emaciated, poorly trained Teofimo who had been devastated physically and mentally during their battle on November 27. .
Teofimo (16-1, 12 KOs) had little chance of beating anyone that night, looking horribly exhausted when weighing and dealing with lung and esophageal problems.
Did the Kambosos do enough to take 1st place?
Chris Mannix: Chris told DAZN’s: “The dust settled in the lightweight division after a month of fighting with some of the top 135-pound fighters in the world.” JABS.
“We have a new unified champion at George Kambosos, but I will be like you on this. After last week’s shakeup, who’s number 1 in lightweight? “
Sergio Mora: “There’s only one #1 boxer in the world, and he’s the top dog right now, and he lives under, George Kambosos Jr.
He is the one who defeated the man [Teofimo Lopez] beat man [Vasily Lomachenko], and that makes him a man. Linear Champion George Kambosos is #1 in my book. ”
Mannix: “Okay, George Kambosos, all the respect in the world for beating Teofimo Lopez.
You have most of the recognized titles in lightweight, but I didn’t know you watched the game last weekend [between Loma and Richard Commey] and think Vasily Lomachenko is number 1 at 135 pounds.
“Then Lomachenko completely destroyed [Masayoshi] Nakatani by blowing up Richard Commey.
“This is a fight that has officially been decided, but it only went so far because Lomachenko had a conscience or something in the seventh round and did something that I have never seen before, which is look at Commey’s corner twice and said, ‘Are you going to stop this?’
“Now Commey got himself a second wind and was able to end the fight, but Lomachenko completely dominated. In the last year, in two games with 135 [Commey and Nakatani], we saw Lomachenko look strong, agile and have a nice chin.
So for all of those reasons, even without the title, I think Lomachenko is number 1 in lightweight. ”
Is the belt important?
Mora: “No, because belts matter, history matters, and it matters whether you beat the man to beat the man. These are all linear; it is important. George Kambosos is number 1, and everything else can be subjective.
“I think Lomachenko looks sensational [against Commey]. At 33, he’s still doing things he shouldn’t. He is a smaller person fighting longer, taller, stronger warriors. Richard Commey is the real man.
“He is a former champion, strong, motivated, so you have to credit him. No, Lomachenko didn’t pass it to him. He cannot stop him. That’s just what happens.”
Mannix: Chris talks about Lomachenko purposefully not allowing Commey to exist. “Stop.”
Mora: “If you look at the past of Roy Jones Jr fighting with Vinny Pazienza, Bryant Brannon and many others, when you have that gift, you look to the referee to stop the game because you know what you’re going to do.
“That’s what happened in this fight here. Loma didn’t give him a pass. ”
Mannix: “Stop, Loma gave him a pass,” Chris said, emphasizing that Lomachenko allowed Commey to survive season seven. “If Lomachenko had gone all out in the seventh round, he would have stopped Richard Commey.
“Yes, he will. Richard Commey was a hit man in that seventh inning. For whatever reason, Lomachenko decided to leave him out of the story for a bit.
“I understand the problem of the belts, and for George Kambosos, they matter a lot because they mean a lot of money going to him over the next few games.
“But they’re irrelevant when it comes to judging who’s No. 1 at 135. If Kambosos and Lomachenko were to fight right now, who would you pick?”
George Kambosos is still unproven
Mora: “I’m a bit of a supporter of Lomachenko because I appreciate him, but that doesn’t mean he’s number 1 until he proves it because he was defeated by Teofimo, and Teofimo was beaten by Teofimo. Kambosos. That’s the order, and that’s what I’m following.”
Mannix: “Okay, if you get a win, does that make you the leader? Remember, Kambosos’ two previous wins were against Mickey Bey and Lee Selby, while Lomachenko has been through multiple tournaments over the past few years.
“He won a lightweight title when he arrived in the UK and beat Luke Campbell. He has been very good for a very long time. I don’t know how you can think that a win makes you #1.
“Lomachenko went up against any of these guys at the age of 135. Anything is possible, of course, but going into a fight, is there anyone you would want to go up against Lomachenko?”
Mora: “Could it be Teofimo again?” Sergio said who he will support against Lomachenko.
Mannix: “Teofimo is gone. Goodbye Teofimo. ”
Mora: “Teofimo can still do that weight. He can put on strength training team. Do you find yourself fickle? ”
Mannix: “He [Teofimo] said he was gone. His father said that he was gone [from the 135-lb division]. ”
Mora: “Okay, let them say you can’t.”
Mannix: “They did.”
Will Kambosos be able to defeat Tank or Loma?
Mora: “When it comes to Kambosos, we know what he can do when motivated when hungry.
“He won’t take those belts off. He just rocked the world. He got a taste of that good life. He won’t let go anymore.
“Lomachenko is great, but he is even smaller. Whenever you have a great bigger fighter and a great smaller fighter, you know that the great bigger fighter will win.
“Kambosos has been a natural gentle person his entire career, and he has the merchandise, game plan and strategy to follow it through to the end as we saw with Teofimo Lopez. So Lomachenko might be a little more favored, but Kambosos is number 1, that’s it. ”
Mannix: “Who’s bigger, who’s physically bigger, Kambosos or Lomachenko?”
Mora: “Kambosos.”
Mannix: “Really?”
Mora: “It’s correct.”
Mannix: “Okay, have you seen the two of them?”
Mora: “Yes, I have seen them with my own eyes. Lomachenko, he’s a minor boxer. He’s from 126. He’s muscular on his head, but he’s shorter, smaller and he doesn’t carry. Look, we don’t have this discussion. Kambosos is #1.
“Lomachenko, I think pound-for-pound is a great fighter. What he does is sensational, but you can’t get rid of the fact that he [Kambosos] won the Ring championship, the line championship, and he has all the belts. You have to respect that. “
Mannix: “I’ll have Teofimo text you directly and say he’s done at 140. Would you believe it?”
Mora: “Then you can continue the conversation. Yes, Mannix. ”
