George Kambosos Jr 21-2 (10) will need to deliver the fight of his life to defeat Vasiliy Lomachenko 17-3 (11), according to one Hall of Famer.
Jeff Fenech is not ruling out a win for the plucky 30-year-old Australian, who pulled off a remarkable upset three years ago when he dethroned WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine lightweight king Teofimo Lopez 20-1 (13).
Kambosos, who will meet 36-year-old Ukrainian southpaw Lomachenko at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia on Sunday local time, is coming off an unconvincing majority decision win over England’s Maxi Hughes 26-7-2 (5) in July last year.
It’s not the sort of form line that fill Fenech with hope.
“Maxi Hughes, he couldn’t do up Lomachenko’s shoes,” Fenech said to Fox Sports Australia. “So George will need to have the fight of his life this weekend. He needs to take risks, make some big improvements and take Loma to places he hasn’t been.
“Because the George who fought Maxi Hughes, he will get fucking annihilated. And take nothing away from the bloke, he got the win. Good luck to him. But he’s got to make a big step up.”
Former three-weight world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko admitted this week that he is closing in on the tail-end of his career, but refused to be drawn on how much longer he would box for.
“So could he be at the end?” Fenech questioned. “Because when the end comes, it does happen quickly.
“George can step up Sunday, no doubt. We’ve seen that against Teofimo Lopez. His performance that night – amazing. And George Kambosos, he’s a fighter.
“So this fight is all about what George does because if he lets Lomachenko get off first, let him go, it’s going to be a tough night for him.
“But if he’s had the right preparation, has the right people in his corner, takes risks to get the rewards… yes (he can get the win).
“And I’m hoping he wins. If he does too, he goes into the Hall of Fame 100 per cent.
“I know it’s something he has been talking about and a win this weekend gets him there.
“Because what he has already done, it’s astronomical.
“Here is a guy who travelled all over the world, just him and his dad, blazing his own trail, little support early on… so what can you do but give him every bit of credit.
Asked for his prediction on the fight, Fenech said: “Do I think George wins Sunday? No, I don’t.”
“If you’re asking for my professional opinion, coming off that last fight against Maxi Hughes I’d be in the 99 of every hundred people who thought he lost. Or the 999 of every thousand.
“But do I want him to win? Of course. I’m hoping George wins this weekend and makes millions.”
Kambosos and Fenech have had their beefs in the past, something the retired former three-division world champion chalks up to a difference of opinion.
“Mate, I don’t have a problem with George,” Fenech said. “He has one with me because I tell the truth, but if I see him tomorrow, no problem. I’ll sit down with George anytime.
“He’s a guy who has just kept grinding and everything that guy has, he deserves. But whenever he fights I’ll also tell you exactly what I think.
“When he beat Lopez, I gave him all the respect in the world. But when he got beat twice by Haney, I called it how I saw it.
“So he can love me, he can hate me, I just tell the truth.”
