Kicking off a tasty weekend of boxing is former unified Lightweight champion George Kambosos Jr of Australia, fighting for the IBO Lightweight title against current holder Maxi Hughes of England. The championship bout takes place at the Firelake Arena in Oklahoma and sees the Aussie Kambosos Jr. endeavor to get back to winning ways after being completely outclassed in 24 rounds of boxing against Devin Haney last year. The English fighter, Hughes, has a career renaissance that has delivered a seven-fight winning streak, including snapping up the IBO Lightweight title and the WBC International Lightweight title. He has made two successful title defenses of his IBO crown but finds himself the huge underdog ahead of the title fight in America against the Australian.
BOXING: IBO Lightweight championship
Venue: Firelake Arena, Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA
Where to watch: ESPN
Date: 23.07.2023. 05.00
George Kambosos Jr.
George Kambosos Jr held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles from 2021 to 2022. He had become the unified lightweight champion when he defeated Teófimo López via split decision in November 2021. Still unbeaten and holding the world titles in three organizations and The Ring, "Ferocious" clashed with Devin Haney, the WBC Lightweight champ, at home in Melbourne to determine the first undisputed lightweight champion of the four-belt era. Over two fights, Kambosos lost his titles and failed to reclaim them, losing by unanimous decisions to the world's best active lightweight. Now ranked as the fifth best active lightweight by BoxRec, the Aussie with the Spartan war cry "Never retreat, never surrender" tattooed on his body about his Greek heritage will not stop until he claims another title.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 30
- Height: 5'9″
- Reach: 68″
- Record: 20-2
Maxi Hughes
The 33-year-old Southpaw, ranked number fifteen best active Lightweight by BoxRec, has competed on the British regional scene for many years, winning several British titles. Turning pro in 2010, "Maximus" contested for the British super-featherweight title and the WBC International super-featherweight title several times and lost. Something changed for the fighter in 2020 as he started his seven-fight win streak that has seen him win the WBC International lightweight title, the vacant British lightweight title, and the IBO lightweight title. His last fight was in September 2022 when "Maximus" scored a majority decision over Kid Galahad in the second defense of his IBO lightweight title.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 33
- Height: 5'7″
- Reach: 67″
- Record: 26-5-2
Betting Odds
George Kambosos Jr. is the massive favorite to win the boxing match, with Marathonbet pricing him to win at 1.25 odds. A bet for the English underdog on Marathonbet is available at 3.70. Bet365 lists a George Kambosos Jr. win by decision or technical decision at 1.61 and Maxi Huges by decision at 5.00 odds. Over at 1XBET, Kambosos Jr. by unanimous decision is 2.12 odds, and under 10.5 rounds is 4.2.