‘Sick joke': Aussie George Kambosos victim of cruel KO loss to Richardson Hitchins
Don't miss out on the headlines from Boxing/MMA. Followed categories will be added to My News.
George Kambosos has suffered the most brutal loss of his career with boxing commentators suggesting he was so outclassed that the fight should not have been allowed to go ahead.
The former IBF and WBO world champ was taught a devastating lesson by American Richardson Hitchins on Sunday before the referee stopped the fight in the eighth round.
Hitchins vs Kambosos Jr | SUN 15 JUNE 9AM AEST | IBF super lightweight champ Richardson Hitchins attempts to make a first defence of his crown against Australia's George Kambosos Jr. | Order now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
The crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York watched Kambosos get belted right from the opening round as Hitchins defeded his IBF junior welterweight title in style.
Kambosos was knocked to the ground for the first time in the eighth round when Hitchins landed a third savage body shot, but the fight could easily have been stopped in the previous rounds.
Kambosos bravely fought on after he had been left wincing from two earlier body shots and a barrage of jabs to the face.
You can watch the KO punch in the video player above.
George Kambosos was brave. Photo: DAZN.
But one stat showed just how out-matched the 32-year-old was against the IBF world super lightweight champ.
According to DAZN, Hitchins landed 104 jabs to Kambosos' 32 after seven rounds.
Leading boxing commentator Sergio Mora said on the broadcast the fight had been a 'surgical beatdown'.
'Hitchins has no respect for Kambosos now' he said in an earlier round.
'Now he's not even jumping back or trying to counter. He's barely making him miss with that shoulder before coming back with that right hand landing accurately.'
He went on to say: 'Hitchins is so relaxed. He has no respect for him'.
The referee stopped the fight. Photo: DAZN.
The commentary team noted Hitchins at one point yelled at Kambosos' corner to stop the fight.
Boxing analyst Chris Mannix scored the fight 70-63 after seven rounds.
'Surgical performances do not get much more dominant than that,' he said.
Boxing guru Dan Rafael was even more savage in his analysis, questioning why the fight was allowed to happen.
Since his historic triumph over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has lost four of his past six fights.
Rafael posted on X: 'That the IBF made Kambosos mandatory is a sick joke'.
He went on to write: 'Complete and utter destruction in a mismatch. Hitchins easily retains the IBF 140 title in a sensational performance.
He wrote earlier: 'Hitchins continues to beat the s*** out of Kambosos. Punishing him, battering him.
'I said it would be a massacre and thru four rounds that is what it is. 4-0 and Hitchins landing at will.'
Lopez was ringside for the fight ans offered up some brutal advice to the Australian after the fifth round.
'Move your f***ing head,' he said
'Move you're f***ing head.'
Kambosos' career is now at crossroads.
He said he did not know what will come next for him.
'I don't know right now. I've had two fights in three months' time, two solid guys. I've been fighting the best,' he said.
'Right now, I'm going to coach my son's footy team. That's what I want to do. We'll go back to the drawing board.'
Speaking after the fight, Hitchins said he had watched Kambosos' previous fights with Devin Haney and knew if he was able to take the fight inside he would be able to find success.
'He (Haney) was head-hunting a lot when he was hurt, so I said I'm going to touch him with some short shots and when I did I saw that he squinted,' added Hitchins.
'I smelled blood but I just wanted to keep punishing him. I told his dad, 'If you love your son you should stop the fight'. He was tough. He was a true competitor. But I was just the better man tonight.'
Originally published as 'Sick joke': Aussie George Kambosos victim of cruel KO loss to Richardson Hitchins
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
2 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Australian Test cricket crisis laid bare as major shake-up looms, World Test Championship final, South Africa, Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, latest team news, updates
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News. COMMENT As Australia licks its wounds from an embarrassing five-wicket World Test Championship final defeat at the hands of South Africa, changes are already being discussed both internally and externally. But there isn't long for Australian selectors to get their ducks in a row, with the next two-year Test cricket cycle beginning later this month with a three-Test series against the West Indies. There are many things for selectors to mull over, such as who should open the batting, and if it is worth bringing in a second specialist tweaker such as Matt Kuhnemann, with subcontinental conditions usually favouring the tweakers. West Indies vs. Australia Test & T20I Series | Watch every ball LIVE with ESPN, available on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. But what does not appear to have changed is the selectors' stubbornness in selecting the best six Australian batsmen irrespective of where they usually bat, their age or whether or not they are in form. However, sooner rather than later they will need to look beyond just a single Test series as the reality is they have somewhat screwed themselves by sticking solid with the same group of veterans. The reality is the Australian squad is ageing out and the next generation has been badly devoid of opportunities. The two youngsters blooded last summer, Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas were both dropped despite the former being played in an unfamiliar role as opener and the latter being overlooked for non-openers Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne. That was despite the fact he rattled the world's best bowler in the world Jasprit Bumrah and clearly has immense raw untapped ability. Make that make sense. Australia need to make changes and fast. Image: Getty Aussie fans have been blessed with a strong generation of cricketers, which has resulted in the side taking out major tournament after major tournament until now. The WTC final defeat will be a tough pill to swallow but for Aussie fans, it could be about to get much worse, with years of selection decisions set to come back to bite in the long run. In the World Test Championship, Cam Green was the only Aussie under the age of 30 in the team. And when injuries have presented selectors with the chance to blood youth, instead they routinely turn to the likes of Scott Boland and Michael Neser and others deep into their 30s. It has seen many other fast bowlers come and go as nothing more than Sheffield Shield journeymen and it is even more grim for the batsman. That is why the likes of Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja and before them David Warner were almost undroppable. Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw have all come and gone, dropped at the first sign of struggle, while others hold onto their spots regardless of their output. The reality is that come the next WTC final, it would be fair to assume half of the Australian side that lined up this week will be retired, so major changes need to happen sooner rather than later. Josh Inglis could solve Australia's opener woes. (Photo by) Who should Australia select for the West Indies series? Let's start with the openers. It's time to go Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja. Khawaja returned scores of 0 and 6 in the WTC final and has had a very grim few years with the bat, barring one series against Sri Lanka. At 38 years of age, his time has come and gone and luckily for Australia, there is a ready-made replacement in Konstas. The teenager has a lot of work to do granted but there is no shortage of raw talent and competitiveness ready to be moulded into a potentially generational batsman. While fellow WTC final opener Labuschagne is badly out of touch and a stint back in Sheffield Shield could do him the world of good. He is averaging just 25.63 in Tests during the 2024/25 season and looked devoid of all confidence against South Africa. In his place, I would go with Josh Inglis. His rapid-fire century on Test debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year reinforced his credentials as a red ball player and is someone who Australia needs to find a spot for. So why not at opener? Steve Smith is a No. 3 whether he likes it or not. That move would also allow for Cam Green to slot in at his preferred four. However, it is worth noting Smith dislocated his finger in the loss to the Proteas. If he isn't fit I could advocate for Nathan McSweeney to come in. At 26 years old, the batsman's best years are ahead of him and after two strong Sheffield Shield seasons he deserves a proper crack in the Test fold, where he isn't thrown to the wolves facing the new ball. From there I would keep it fairly similar to the side who were beaten by South Africa with Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey rounding out the middle order. From there, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are all nearly undroppable as is Nathan Lyon. But I could entertain a rotation of one pace bowler getting a rest so tweaker Matt Kuhnemann could make up a two-pronged spin attack with Lyon. Sam Konstas deserves another crack at opener. (Photo by) Nathan McSweeney has been strong at Sheffield Shield level in the past few seasons. (Photo by) Pat Cummins suggests changes are on the cards With the 2027 WTC cycle kicking off when Australia travel to the West Indies, Australian skipper Cummins hinted that changes could be on the cards. 'We've got a couple of weeks before the first Test in the Windies, so we'll sit down and have a bit of a think after we digest this game,' he said. 'But for me, I think a new WTC cycle in some ways does feel like a bit of a reset. 'It's probably more for the selectors and for me to sit down and map it ahead.' Cummins also suggested the likes of Konstas and Inglis could find themselves in the team come the first Test against the Windies. 'Coming to this match, you've got guys like Sam Konstas and Scotty Boland and Josh Inglis, all those guys were right on the fringes,' he said. 'So I think again, after this Test match, everyone gets thrown back into the conversation.' Australia's three-Test series against West Indies in Barbados kicks off on June 25. Predicted Australian XI to face the West Indies 1. Sam Konstas 2. Josh Inglis 3. Steve Smith (or Nathan McSweeney) 4. Cam Green 5. Travis Head 6. Beau Webster 7. Alex Carey 8. Pat Cummins 9. Mitchell Starc 10. Nathan Lyon 11. Josh Hazlewood Originally published as 'Screwed themselves': Aussie crisis laid bare as major Test shake-up looms
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Strong Like Jon' - American rallies to win Cairns tri
Nick Thompson stayed "Strong Like Jon" at the Ironman Cairns triathlon - only American Matthew Marquardt was even stronger. Marquardt recovered from an awful swim-bike transition to overhaul Thompson on the marathon to claim the title, while the rising Australian star held on for second after saying pre-race that his run form was "a bit of a mystery". Marquardt and Jackie Hering made history on Sunday, becoming the first American winners in the event's 14-year history. Marquardt is also the first triathlete from outside Australia or New Zealand to claim the men's race. Thompson had "Strong Like Jon" printed across the back of his race top as a tribute to long-time friend Jon Sammut, who is still regaining full use of his legs after a horrific bike crash last December at Western Australia's Busselton Ironman . "He's always been equally as good as me," Thompson said of Sammut. "I hope he's proud of me, I think he will be. "When he's finally allowed to have a beer at the end of the year, it will be on me. He's one of many names back home (in WA) that I'm lucky to have - I couldn't think of a better support network." Marquardt overtook Thompson after 30km in the run to win the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon race in seven hours 50 minutes 41 seconds. Thompson finished two minutes 49 seconds behind Marquardt and Henrik Goesch from Finland was 6:57 back in third. Marquardt's day looked shot when he cramped badly in his legs after being among the leaders out of the water at Palm Cove, north of Cairns. It is a problem that has happened at his last three races and the medical student thought it had been fixed. He lost eight minutes early on the bike, before rallying, and then storming through the marathon. "The T1 (swim-bike) was definitely really, really rough, but it's a long day and that's the beauty of an Ironman," he said. "You can falter a lot and still come back and have a phenomenal day. "Certainly it's a mystery. I'd love to have a little less drama." Hering had a more straightforward day, holding off defending champion Hannah Berry from New Zealand and Australian-based Dutch triathlete Lotte Wilms for the women's title. After having to pull out at the Ironman European championships at Hamburg a fortnight ago, Hering made a last-minute call to race at Cairns and only arrived on Wednesday. Like Marquardt, it was Hering's first visit to Australia and she won in 8:42:15, with Berry at 3:55 and Wilms 4:48 behind the American for third. "What I know especially about Lotte and Hanna is that they really don't quit, they're just very tough," said the 40-year-old Hering. Penny Slater passed compatriot Regan Hollioake on the run to finish fourth and the top Australian woman. "I came back from the dead - I retired from triathlon a few times on the bike there," Slater said. The top-five finishers qualified for this year's Ironman world championships - the men will race in Nice and the women will compete at triathlon's spiritual home in Kona, Hawaii. The worlds will be held on Hering's birthday and Cairns was double mission accomplished, sealing the win and her Kona berth. "That was the main deal ... super bang for the buck," she said. The Ironman and 70.3, or half-Ironman races were held in windy conditions, with massive crowds at the Cairns finish. The Ironman 70.3 race featured 92-year-old Japanese finisher Hiromu Inada. Nick Thompson stayed "Strong Like Jon" at the Ironman Cairns triathlon - only American Matthew Marquardt was even stronger. Marquardt recovered from an awful swim-bike transition to overhaul Thompson on the marathon to claim the title, while the rising Australian star held on for second after saying pre-race that his run form was "a bit of a mystery". Marquardt and Jackie Hering made history on Sunday, becoming the first American winners in the event's 14-year history. Marquardt is also the first triathlete from outside Australia or New Zealand to claim the men's race. Thompson had "Strong Like Jon" printed across the back of his race top as a tribute to long-time friend Jon Sammut, who is still regaining full use of his legs after a horrific bike crash last December at Western Australia's Busselton Ironman . "He's always been equally as good as me," Thompson said of Sammut. "I hope he's proud of me, I think he will be. "When he's finally allowed to have a beer at the end of the year, it will be on me. He's one of many names back home (in WA) that I'm lucky to have - I couldn't think of a better support network." Marquardt overtook Thompson after 30km in the run to win the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon race in seven hours 50 minutes 41 seconds. Thompson finished two minutes 49 seconds behind Marquardt and Henrik Goesch from Finland was 6:57 back in third. Marquardt's day looked shot when he cramped badly in his legs after being among the leaders out of the water at Palm Cove, north of Cairns. It is a problem that has happened at his last three races and the medical student thought it had been fixed. He lost eight minutes early on the bike, before rallying, and then storming through the marathon. "The T1 (swim-bike) was definitely really, really rough, but it's a long day and that's the beauty of an Ironman," he said. "You can falter a lot and still come back and have a phenomenal day. "Certainly it's a mystery. I'd love to have a little less drama." Hering had a more straightforward day, holding off defending champion Hannah Berry from New Zealand and Australian-based Dutch triathlete Lotte Wilms for the women's title. After having to pull out at the Ironman European championships at Hamburg a fortnight ago, Hering made a last-minute call to race at Cairns and only arrived on Wednesday. Like Marquardt, it was Hering's first visit to Australia and she won in 8:42:15, with Berry at 3:55 and Wilms 4:48 behind the American for third. "What I know especially about Lotte and Hanna is that they really don't quit, they're just very tough," said the 40-year-old Hering. Penny Slater passed compatriot Regan Hollioake on the run to finish fourth and the top Australian woman. "I came back from the dead - I retired from triathlon a few times on the bike there," Slater said. The top-five finishers qualified for this year's Ironman world championships - the men will race in Nice and the women will compete at triathlon's spiritual home in Kona, Hawaii. The worlds will be held on Hering's birthday and Cairns was double mission accomplished, sealing the win and her Kona berth. "That was the main deal ... super bang for the buck," she said. The Ironman and 70.3, or half-Ironman races were held in windy conditions, with massive crowds at the Cairns finish. The Ironman 70.3 race featured 92-year-old Japanese finisher Hiromu Inada. Nick Thompson stayed "Strong Like Jon" at the Ironman Cairns triathlon - only American Matthew Marquardt was even stronger. Marquardt recovered from an awful swim-bike transition to overhaul Thompson on the marathon to claim the title, while the rising Australian star held on for second after saying pre-race that his run form was "a bit of a mystery". Marquardt and Jackie Hering made history on Sunday, becoming the first American winners in the event's 14-year history. Marquardt is also the first triathlete from outside Australia or New Zealand to claim the men's race. Thompson had "Strong Like Jon" printed across the back of his race top as a tribute to long-time friend Jon Sammut, who is still regaining full use of his legs after a horrific bike crash last December at Western Australia's Busselton Ironman . "He's always been equally as good as me," Thompson said of Sammut. "I hope he's proud of me, I think he will be. "When he's finally allowed to have a beer at the end of the year, it will be on me. He's one of many names back home (in WA) that I'm lucky to have - I couldn't think of a better support network." Marquardt overtook Thompson after 30km in the run to win the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km marathon race in seven hours 50 minutes 41 seconds. Thompson finished two minutes 49 seconds behind Marquardt and Henrik Goesch from Finland was 6:57 back in third. Marquardt's day looked shot when he cramped badly in his legs after being among the leaders out of the water at Palm Cove, north of Cairns. It is a problem that has happened at his last three races and the medical student thought it had been fixed. He lost eight minutes early on the bike, before rallying, and then storming through the marathon. "The T1 (swim-bike) was definitely really, really rough, but it's a long day and that's the beauty of an Ironman," he said. "You can falter a lot and still come back and have a phenomenal day. "Certainly it's a mystery. I'd love to have a little less drama." Hering had a more straightforward day, holding off defending champion Hannah Berry from New Zealand and Australian-based Dutch triathlete Lotte Wilms for the women's title. After having to pull out at the Ironman European championships at Hamburg a fortnight ago, Hering made a last-minute call to race at Cairns and only arrived on Wednesday. Like Marquardt, it was Hering's first visit to Australia and she won in 8:42:15, with Berry at 3:55 and Wilms 4:48 behind the American for third. "What I know especially about Lotte and Hanna is that they really don't quit, they're just very tough," said the 40-year-old Hering. Penny Slater passed compatriot Regan Hollioake on the run to finish fourth and the top Australian woman. "I came back from the dead - I retired from triathlon a few times on the bike there," Slater said. The top-five finishers qualified for this year's Ironman world championships - the men will race in Nice and the women will compete at triathlon's spiritual home in Kona, Hawaii. The worlds will be held on Hering's birthday and Cairns was double mission accomplished, sealing the win and her Kona berth. "That was the main deal ... super bang for the buck," she said. The Ironman and 70.3, or half-Ironman races were held in windy conditions, with massive crowds at the Cairns finish. The Ironman 70.3 race featured 92-year-old Japanese finisher Hiromu Inada.
The Age
4 hours ago
- The Age
Star born as 16-year-old lands on Dolphins team
Sienna Toohey wins the women's 100m breaststroke at the 2025 Australian trials, and nails Swimming Australia's time standard, to qualify for her first senior Dolphins team. Loading
