Devin Haney has vowed to send George Kambosos Jr. “into retirement” on Sunday and insists his rival’s desire for a new referee “won’t change anything”.
In his first defence as the undisputed lightweight champion of the world, Haney (28-0, 15KO) will look to put on a show once again against Kambosos Jr (21-1, 10KO) on Sunday at Rod Laver Arena.
It’s been a notably quieter build-up ahead of the rematch in comparison to the first fight, with Kambosos Jr. opting to go practically off the grid until the week of the bout when it comes to the trash talk.
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Having demanded Kambosos Jr. to admit he was doing too much in the build-up, Haney doubled down on his stance that it was all a big facade from the 29-year-old and it’s all down to the Las Vegas native dishing up some “humble pie”.
“We can all agree, he was acting,” Haney said at the public workouts at Tribune Boxing in Melbourne.
“This time around, he’s much more humble. I gave him some humble pie. And after this, I’ll send him into retirement.”
It’s an almighty vow from Haney, but the champ noted it was not a claim he has pulled out of thin air.
“At the end of the day, he (Kambosos Jr.) spoke about the retirement thing,” Haney said.
“I think he’s still young and he’s still got a long career after this. Two losses to me doesn’t mean he can go out and compete with the best fighters in the world.”
Despite victory already a foregone conclusion in Haney’s mind, Kambosos Jr. will no doubt ring the changes ahead of the rematch if he is to stand any chance of extracting sweet revenge.
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And aside from alterations to his game plan, there will be a new official for the rematch amid Kambosos Jr.’s complaints about referee Hector Afu for allowing Haney to supposedly hold the Aussie constantly in the first fight.
A new referee will be in place on Sunday, but a name has not been revealed.
However, Haney believes the referee change will do little to have any impact on the outcome of their fight.
“It won’t change anything at the end of the day,” Haney said.
“He’s making up every excuse in the book. He said he wasn’t going to, but now he’s saying I was holding, it was this, it was that. Whatever you want to say, he keeps saying it.”
“It doesn’t matter, the talk doesn’t matter. I’m going to go in there and do what I’m going to do regardless. No matter what referee is in there, no matter where the fight is at, it doesn’t matter.”
