BN: This is your first fight under Top Rank, who also promote potential rivals Teofimo Lopez, Shakur Stevenson and Vasyl Lomachenko, but wonโt necessarily favour you, geographicallyโฆ
It was just the right move, to have not only have one powerhouse but two powerhouses [the second is Lou DiBella] behind me in this second coming of my career. Look at the lightweight division, and the 140lbs division. Top Rank has the majority of the big, big names. It just made a lot of sense. Iโm here for the biggest and best fights. I stay as a pay-per-view fighter in Australia; I get to headline here in America. Iโm excited to be back in the US; this is where I started; where I built my name.
There is plans for the big fights; the mega fights; the stadium fights [to take place in Australia]. Thereโs a few names that make a lot of sense. I know I can do my half of the stadium, but you need the right dance partner; a big name. We wanted to showcase as a big attraction in America. Forget the city; forget where the fight is. Oklahoma โ Iโm looking forward to it.This was [ESPNโs] next stop. It worked with my timing of the fight. It was originally supposed to be in Vegas, but that was the ESPN+ option. I wanted the general person to be able to tune in and say, โKambosos is backโ.
If youโd asked four or five years ago Iโd have said, โIโm very wary of being an Aussie fighter [with a US-based promoter that has American lightweights]โ, but Iโm a global name.
BN: You were present at Lomachenkoโs past fight, against Devin Haney, having previously nearly fought him. Were you in contention to fight him if heโd won?
Yes, definitely. We were shortlisted. But Iโve built up a lot of respect for Devin Haney. If Lomachenko was to have won, it would have been a highly likely opportunity. We were supposed to fight back in 2018. We had a signed deal to fight [in 2022]. Third time lucky would have been the charm, but that fightโs still there. Thereโs even a plan to possibly fight in Greece. With the war [Russiaโs invasion of Ukraine], there are a lot of Ukrainians in Greece; Iโm a massive name in Greece.
BN: That fight divided opinion. How did you see it?
I thought Devin was going to dominate a little bit more. I still was happy with the decision โ and a lot of people wonโt agree with me โย but you gotta take the belts off the champion. Like Devin took them off me; like when I took them off [Teofimo] Lopez. Thatโs no disrespect to Lomachenko โ he showed so much more than a lot of people expected. Without Haney being the champion maybe it could have gone either way. Hearing that he took round 12 off is a little bit disappointing, because a big fight like that, you come to those 11ths and 12ths, you give everything. Even in the Haney fights, especially the second one, when I knew I was down I still was pushing so hard in rounds 11 and 12. I can look myself in the mirror and say, โI gave everythingโ. A [future] hall of famer like Lomachenko is going to be questioning himself a lot; you donโt want that from a fighter like that.
BN: What about Lopezโs victory over Josh Taylor?
Lopez loves fighting southpaws. If you give a guy like Lopez a lot of confidence heโs a very good fighter. He can do things a lot of fighters canโt do. But if you take his confidence away; if you land your shots; if you make him see shots he canโt see, you can land; you take away a lot of his best attributes. Heโs a great fighter. Itโs great for myself; my resume. Weโll see what happens with that possibility [of a rematch] down the line. I give him inside the top 10 [on the pound-for-pound list]. Devinโs [also] inside the top 10. Iโve said it before โย donโt judge a guy like myself on a loss from Haney. Haneyโs an extraordinary athlete; a very, very big lightweight. A very good fighter. Itโs how someone comes back โ we saw Lopez coming back. Iโm looking forward to coming back.
I believe [Iโll always beat Lopez]. Iโm an aggressive counter-puncher; I throw a lot of shots, in bunches. He will always be there for the taking. He stays in that position. You canโt let a guy like that dictate. The level changes we did in that fight; the right hands, the left hooks, the jabs. Everything worked. Iโm a better fighter since that fight. Itโs my biggest victory.
BN: How good is Shakur Stevenson?
Very good fighter. Iโve got a lot of respect for Shakur Stevenson. But itโs definitely a guy โย thereโs interest there. Now heโs in the lightweight division and chasing his mark; Iโm chasing my mark too. Itโs a fight that could, and probably will, happen in the near future.
BN: What about Gervonta โTankโ Davis?
Thatโs a definite fight Iโve been quite vocal about. I was vocal before the Lopez fight โย I could see certain styles that match up. Tankโs a great fighter โย very dynamic and explosive, and a power puncher. We saw what he did with Ryan Garcia. He put a rehydration clause [in place] โย that taints for me a little bit that victory. But Ryan signed up for it. Definitely a fight Iโd like to have. At this stage of our careers heโs the A-side, and youโd go wherever youโd have to go to make that fight happen.
BN: Whoโs the best?
Devin, at this stage, is the guy. Heโs the guy thatโs proven; heโs beat the likes of myself; heโs beat Lomachenko. Itโs common sense [heโs going to move up to 140lbs for his next fight]. You see how much talk there is with [a potential fight against Regis] Prograis. Heโs big; heโs growing; heโs still young. For his health and the next steps for his career it makes a lot of sense.
Weโve got the best fighters in the world [at 135lbs]. The biggest names. Weโve shown a lot of us are willing to fight each other. Weโll look back, in many years, and say, โWhat a time that was โ we had the best fighters fighting the bestโ. You win some; you lose some; you bounce back. Thatโs what itโs all about. You want the difficult fights; the hard fights. You want to be able to prove people wrong. Yeah, it comes with the money, but the money is not the objective. Itโs the legacy; getting the names on the resume. Thatโs what Iโm chasing โย at 30 years of age I feel better than ever. โIโm still here โย I can bounce back.โ
BN: What lessons did those defeats by Haney teach you?
When you become champion it comes with a lot of hard work. Not just the training, and the boxing, but the outside โย the crown becomes heavy. When youโre promoting a big fight, 45,000 in a stadium, and youโre the main guy in your own country โย I was everywhere for eight weeks leading into the [first] fight. Weโve looked at the mistakes โ where my time management wasnโt 100 per cent. It affected my training. But Iโll never make excuses. He beat me the second time โย I had a fantastic training camp and he beat me. Maybe I should have come out to the US [to prepare] but thatโs just lessons and mistakes.
BN: Was it a mistake to take the rematch?
No, definitely not. The rematch [clause] was there in the contract. โI donโt need that โ Iโm going to beat this guy.โ You start to lose your mind a little bit. You feel youโre unbeatable. But you got good people; smart people around you. Why would I complain with getting another opportunity to push my hardest to try to win that fight and looking after my family [financially] as well? If I fail in something am I just going to turn away from it? The second fight was a much better fight; an action fight.
BN: Youโve made history and are financially secure. Whatโs driving you?
The love of competition. The love of fighting. That man on man. Warrior. That instinct โ fighting. That competitiveness. Being able to leave my comfort zone โ to come out here to the gyms and put in the hard work. That hunger; that focus, is burning like crazy right now. I donโt need to fight โ I want to fight.
Iโve got a young family; Iโve got three kids. But I believe in my skills โย I believe in my team โย and I believe in my ability. Iโve had some big fights โ been hit with some very big shots, But Iโm blessed to still be very healthy. I can sit here and talk as good as you can. A few more good years; win some more belts; make some more history, and then from there Iโll find my calling in some media; my promotional company [Ferocious Promotions]. There are many more things I can achieve in my life but for now, relentless โ focused โ on showing this warriorโs still here.
BN: How much of a threat does Maxi Hughes pose?
Maxiโs a good fighter. But this is another level. When heโs coming to to the US, facing a guy like myself โย extremely motivated; sacrificing so much already at this stage of my career โย this is another level. Itโs too big for him. Iโm looking forward to it. I see the mistakes he makes. I see a lot of things heโs doing, and I look forward to making a statement with him. Thereโs no disrespect, but youโre in the way, and Iโm going to make an emphatic statement with you.
Heโs the perfect opponent [to return against]. He will be at his best. I will be better than ever. I would not be here [in Los Angeles] sacrificing in the US [if I wasnโt]. Hughes will come to fight and weโre fully prepared and weโll bring what we want to bring. I look forward to a good fight, but I will be victorious and make a statement with you.
BN: Australia has a generation of strong fighters, when typically it has had individualsโฆ
Itโs a really good era. We have a really good crop of fighters coming out of Australian boxing and Iโm very proud to be able to show that it can be done.
This is the best itโs ever been. Itโs always been an individual guy that would pop up. You had [Jeff] Fenech; obviously Kostya [Tszyu]; Vic Darchinyan; Anthony Mundine; Danny Green. But this is a good group of fighters, led by myself, then [Tim] Tszyu; Jason Maloney; his brother Andrew. Liam Paro โ another good fighter.
The amateur circuit is a very good circuit now. We have a good amateur team. Thatโs helped a lot. Boxing has become a lot more popular in Australia. Boxingโs a numbers game. Thatโs why Iโve come to the US โ when youโve got more numbers youโve got more sparring options, and guys that are going to continue to improve. Thatโs where itโs at [in Australia]. Youโve got more people involved; youโve got better foundations, and itโs in a great position. Thereโs some very good young talent, and Iโm very confident in the next three, four, five, six years that a lot of them are going to emerge.
BN: Is Tszyu good enough to beat Jermell Charlo?
Heโs a very good fighter. Heโs had some good victories in the last few months. Charloโs a different kettle of fish. Thatโs a guy where the real fight is, as we say. You can have fights leading up to it, like I did with [Lee] Selby; Micky Bey, but Lopez was my big test. Thatโs where you make or break. I believe that Charloโs his big test โย thatโs make or break. If you lose to a guy like that, you can bounce back and win a title, but youโll never be able to reach that superstardom. Is Charlo a step too far? I would say โYesโ a few months ago, but Timโs been quite active, and that gap has got closer.
We used to train altogether at the same gym โย at the Tszyu Academy. At the start of my career Kostya was always around at the gym, and he was always floating from Australia to Russia โย he lives in Russia now. His dad is a superstar. Itโs amazing to think that if Tim can do it as well, so many belts have come out of that gym. [Kostya] was very militant โ the way he trained. We all were, as amateurs โ it gave us that focus. He wasnโt the most talkative kind of guy, but I wish him all the best โย heโs a good man. What I did at that gym many years ago was good fun.
BN: Comparisons have been made between you and Michael Katsidisโฆ
An absolute legend. I know Mike very well. Heโs a guy that I looked up to, as a young aspiring amateur who wanted to be a professional and champion. My biggest memory is watching Katsidis and [Juan Manuel] Marquez [in 2010]. I jumped off my seat when he knocked him down. It was amazing. Very unfortunate he couldnโt win that fight. He had so much going on with his brother passing away too, but heโs an absolute legend. I was in awe of this guy. Heโs a real warrior; a Greek Aussie like myself. He deserves more respect in Australia โ [for] fighting over here [in the US]. True champion. Iโve got a lot of love for Michael Katsidis. Heโs always been very supportive of my career. A lot of people said, โKambosos is like Katsidis, the way he fightsโ, and Michael said, โYes, to a point, but this guy is better โย heโs more skilled, fasterโ, and Iโve so much respect hearing that from him.