George Kambosos Jr. isn’t sweating the small stuff—or in this case, the larger, younger figure of his last-minute opponent, Jake Wyllie, as they gear up for their 12-round light welterweight showdown this Saturday, March 22nd, at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park. The fight, which will also be broadcast live on DAZN, sees Kambosos diving into the ring just days after his opponent was switched.
With a record of 21 wins, 3 losses, and 10 of those victories by knockout, Kambosos may want to keep his guard up. He’s stepping into this match after a tough 11-round battle with Vasily Lomachenko, a debut at the 140-weight class, and with Wyllie stepping in on just four days’ notice following a long stint away from competing.
Ferocious’ Return
Each of these factors could be challenging individually, but thrown together, they form a formidable obstacle for Kambosos. At 24, Wyllie enjoys a youth advantage over the 31-year-old Kambosos, which might tip the scales in his favor.
As a former IBF, WBA, and WBO lightweight champion, Kambosos is in need of a decisive win this Saturday to land a chance at the IBF 140-lb title against Richardson Hitchins. This is his and promoter Eddie Hearn’s target, but a loss to Wyllie could be a stumbling block, possibly setting back his career significantly. He’s seen a string of losses, going 1-3 since defeating Teofimo Lopez in 2021, casting a shadow over the future of the man known as ‘Ferocious.’
Reflecting on his situation, Kambosos shared bravely with Fighthype: “It doesn’t bother me. I’ve got small shoes on today,” this was his cheeky retort to observations about Wyllie’s notable size in their face-to-face before Saturday’s big fight in Sydney.
“The surface is not really flat. It doesn’t really matter. Who cares? Like I said, I’ve been sparring. I’ve seen it all from the Lomas, the Haneys, the [Teofimo] Lopez to the [Lee] Selby. It makes no difference. I’m drinking water, I’m eating well, and I’m feeling well. My weight’s very, very close,” he added when asked about making weight at 140 for the first time.
“More than anything, he obviously looks like he’s going to cut a lot more now. I feel good. I’m very focused, I’m very zoned in. I’m not burning too much energy. I’m going with the flow and enjoying my moment. On Saturday night, big, big show. Kambosos is back in town. The ‘Ferocious’ show, and I’m going to handle my business."
With the fight looming, Kambosos seems set on making a statement, promising a return to form and emphasizing his readiness to put on a show come Saturday night.
