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George Kambosos Jr. wondered aloud why Devin Haney shared the stage with him on Monday.
It wasn’t because the unbeaten lineal/WBA/IBF/WBO lightweight champion feels his WBC counterpart from Las Vegas doesn’t deserve to share the spotlight or the ring with him, at least not at this moment.
As BoxingScene.com recently reported, Australia’s Kambosos used his time during Monday’s kickoff press conference to allege unsolicited updates received by Haney ahead of his title-winning split decision win over Teofimo Lopez (16-1, 12KOs) last November in New York City.
“I really don’t know, I really don’t know how they let this guy into the country, to be honest,” Kambosos stated, after addressing the visa issues that prevented Bill Haney, Devin’s father/trainer/manager, from leaving the U.S. “I didn’t think they let informants into the country. This guy’s an informant. This guy’s a rat. I’ll tell you why.
“The Teofimo Lopez fight—a foreigner against his own countryman—he was messaging me throughout. He was giving me details, every bit. Teo’s at the hookah bar. Teo’s having problems with his wife. This is the kind person… this is a rat. This is a rat. This is a snitch, an informant.”
Kambosos (20-0, 10KOs) insists that Haney was providing updates throughout the buildup to his eventual win over Lopez, a Brooklyn native who trains in Las Vegas where Haney also resides and trains. The unfounded remarks were naturally challenged by Haney (27-0, 15KOs), though repeatedly interrupted by Kambosos who insists he holds receipts over such claims.
The two will get to settle matters in the ring for their undisputed championship this weekend—Sunday local time at at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, airing Saturday evening (given the time difference) on ESPN beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Haney attempts the fifth defense of the WBC title he has held since 2019, while Kambosos makes his first title defense and first appearance in his home country since October 2017. Kambosos not only claims he will take the title but that the already long flight home for Haney will be even more dreadful considering what awaits once he’s home.
“You know what? This is your countryman, your own countryman going behind your back,” Kambosos insisted. “You know what? On Sunday, I’m gonna kick your ass. When you go back to Las Vegas, you’ll have to look out for Teofimo Lopez because he’ll be looking for you, too.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox