George Kambosos Jr has secured another world title shot after surviving a fierce test with a unanimous points win over gallant countryman Jake Wyllie in an epic super-lightweight showdown in Sydney.
The hard-hitting Wyllie threatened to crash the long-awaited homecoming for Kambosos before the judges awarded the former unified lightweight world champ the bout 117-111, 117-111, 115-113 at Qudos Arena on Saturday night.
Stepping up to the 140-pound division for the first time, Kambosos’s bold bid to become a two-weight global champion looked in serious peril when he was cut above the eye in the ninth round.
But he ultimately proved too slick against a fearless adversary who only accepted the fight on five days’ notice after Kambosos’s slated opponent, Indonesian senator Daud Yordan, withdrew on medical grounds.
“Sydney, we gave you a good war,” Kambosos said. “He’s a tough kid.
“I felt great at the start, first four rounds – unbelievable, sharp, moving and then a nice little clash and he started coming on.
“I would have loved to put him away. He was fully prepared, the actual 140-pound Australian champion. That’s why he got his shot, so credit to him.
“But a win’s a win, and I won quite well on the points.”
Victory for Kambosos has set up a likely world title crack at undefeated IBF super-lightweight king Richardson Hitchins.
“Let’s do it. If that’s the fight, I’m all in,” Kambosos said to Matchroom’s ringside promoter Eddie Hearn.
“I’m a warrior, I find the best of the best and you say Hitchens is your best player, well, let him fight toe-to-toe with me. Let’s go.”
Hearn duly promised Kambosos his date with destiny on one proviso.
“If that cut heals up, we’ve got a date end of June, and that is the date. He’s got to be ready for that date,” he said.
“If he is, we’re ready to move forward for George Kambosos to fight for the world championship in America to try and become a two-division world champion, and I think that’s what he deserves.”
But there was only mutual respect and a warm embrace between the pair at the end, as Kambosos lived to fight another day and Wyllie earmarked himself as a force to be reckoned with.
“Six days ago, this show was in jeopardy when your Yordan pulled out. This man Jake, he stepped up,” Hearn said.
“Tonight is about George Kambosos going forward to fight for the world title, but it’s also about a new star for Australian boxing that been born in Jake Wyllie as well.
“He’s got a massive future ahead of him.”
Incredibly, Wyllie had actually bought tickets to watch Saturday night’s blockbuster card before Kambosos offered the 24-year-old his own real-life “Rocky shot” following Yordan’s late withdrawal.
The Queenslander had won 16 of his 17 professional fights, 15 by knockout, but Kambosos insisted he had no chance.
Yet the underdog took the fight to the hot favourite, at times mocking Kambosos.
Wyllie opened up Kambosos in the ninth with a heavy right, the ex-world champ throwing caution to the wind as blood streamed from the cut above his eye.
The referee cautioned both combatants after they traded shots after the bell at the end of the 10th round.
