‘Sick joke': Aussie George Kambosos victim of cruel KO loss to Richardson Hitchins

Daily Telegraph

9 hours ago

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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