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Eddie Hearn reveals he is rooting for Devin Haney to dethrone George Kambosos Jr

George Kambosos and Devin Haney

Promoter Eddie Hearn has praised WBC titlist Devin ‘The Dream’ Haney 27-0 (15) for agreeing to fight WBA, WBO, IBF and WBC Franchise champion George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos Jr 20-0 (10) in Australia.

Sydneysider Kambosos, 28, was close to signing a deal to face Vasiliy Lomachenko 16-2 (11) before war broke out in the former three-weight world champion’s native Ukraine.

That left the door open for Haney to step into the frame. He will face Kambosos at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Sunday where he will be without his father and trainer Bill Haney, who was refused a visa to enter the country. There is a rematch clause in the contract in the event that Haney wins. If that happens, he will need to travel to Australia again.

Kambosos will be making the first defence of the titles he won against previously undefeated Lomachenko conqueror Teofimo Lopez 16-1 (12) on points at Madison Square Garden in New York last November.

“You got to respect Devin Haney because he had to take this deal to get this fight,” Matchroom Boxing boss Hearn told iFL TV.

“He’s got no promoter and he’s got no help. His dad couldn’t get into the country. This is something you’d expect a promotional company to deal with in that respect. You’ve got a depleted corner and he’s in George Kambosos’ backyard.

“Devin is very strong mentally. So, all those things I mentioned, I don’t see him being affected by all of that. My worry is that Kambosos’ work rate and the noise of the crowd will allow him to win and steal rounds.

“I believe Devin Haney will win the fight and hopefully he can get the decision. I love George and respect him, but obviously, I’m rooting for Devin Haney.”

Meanwhile, WBC and WBO super featherweight champion Shakur ‘Fearless’ Stevenson 18-0 (9) has claimed the leading lightweights have not faced the opposition he has.

The 24-year-old southpaw is coming off a dominant 12-round points win over Oscar Valdez 30-1 (23) in Las Vegas, Nevada in April. Valdez was down in round six.

“These guys at 135 they have never went in there with a test like an Oscar Valdez, like it’s another in-prime, undefeated guy that never lost,” Stevenson said on The DAZN Boxing Show.

“[Valdez is] 30-0 with 23 knockouts, great knockout power… [Nobody at 135] takes the risk of fighting someone of that caliber.

“I ain’t seen any of them [at 135] do it.

“I do give [Lopez] credit, only because it’s Lomachenko, don’t get me wrong.

“But the only thing I do say is that Oscar Valdez was undefeated. He never lost. Nobody ever beat him. He done been in there with some real fighters.

“At the end of the day Lomachenko – he was pound-for-pound, don’t get me wrong – but we’ve seen someone crack Lomachenko’s code before, that’s all I’m saying.”

“That’s how I feel. I’m not taking anything away from [Lopez]. That was a great performance.”