George ‘Ferocious’ Kambosos jr is commitment personified.
Athletes are undoubtedly wired differently than the average civilian, who can’t go a day without indulging in endless wants, disguised as needs.
A fighter’s warrior mentality separates them from other athletes, yet someone like Kambosos is a different breed altogether.
Kambosos (19-0, 10 KOs) embarks on what is the biggest fight involving an Australian boxer for years against undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez (16-0, 12 KOs) at Madison Square Garden on October 5 (AEST).
Sacrifice is a champion’s nectar and nobody knows that more than the undefeated Sydney fighter.
As the title fight with Lopez was rescheduled multiple times this year because the American champion caught COVID-19, the Australian was forced to confront an uncomfortable reality for a chance at being crowned the undisputed champion of the world – missing the birth of his third child.
“She’s due September 30th and I’m flying out before that,” Kambosos told Wide World of Sports. “There’s a high chance I’m going to miss the birth. It’s something we understand; it’s the sacrifice we make.
“My wife might have to go to the hospital by herself to give birth to our third.
“I could be on the plane or already in the US when our baby comes. The baby could come in the next hour that’s how close it is.”
Kambosis is too focused on his own ambitions to get into a war of words with any of his compatriots but there’s a sense of frustration in the way he compares what he’s prepared to go through with other boxers making a name for themselves without leaving the comforts of home.
Tim Tszyu has been mandated to fight for the WBO super welterweight title despite having never fought away from home soil. Michael Zerafa, meanwhile, wasn’t prepared to travel interstate to fight Tszyu due to COVID-19 fears.
Kambosis has little time for such self-preservation. He’s regularly boarded planes bound for the other side of the world to put his career on the line, often without his family for long stretches.
“It is what it is. We talk about Australian fighters that are scared to go overseas because they’re not going to be on pay-per-view or they’re not going to have their full team there.
“I’m not going to say any names but I’m prepared to miss the birth of my third child, this is how much it means to me.”
Kambosos earned his mandatory challenger status by traveling to London to beat hometown favorite Lee Selby over twelve rounds in October 2020.
The Aussie and Lopez were meant to face-off for five belts in Miami on June 19, only for the American to test positive to COVID in fight week. An Irate Kambosos labelled Lopez “irresponsible” for putting himself in a situation to jeopardise the fight.
August 14 was also suggested as a replacement date but Lopez, an asthmatic, suffered serious virus symptoms and that date was scratched.
Promoters Triller suggested an October date in Australia, given that Kambosos and his wife Bec are expecting their third child but the IBF ruled the fight must take place in New York after Lopez kicked up a fuss over quarantine rules here.
If things had gone to plan, Kambosos would have fought for the belt and been home in time to welcome the new addition to his family but the positive test result set it all off course.
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The 28-year-old had been based in Miami for much of the year, undergoing intense training sessions, sparring against high calibre fighters in the US. He had flown in his team, father and wife to be by his side in preparation.
Yet with all the uncertainty surrounding the fight and the escalating nature of the Delta variant in America, the Aussie sent his wife and most of his team home before following suit not long after.
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He has continued his camp at home in Sydney and will jet off to New York on September 24, allowing enough time to get in a quick sparring session before the biggest fight of his life at a venue Lopez has fought at numerous times, in his home state.
“Not only was I there for four months preparing for the fight, to fly my team out there, my father was with me, my coach Mick Akkawy and my wife flew out she’s pregnant.
“And then four days out for him to get COVID and for it to fall apart it was a hard pill to swallow but I adapt as a fighter.
“I’ve been in this scenario before. I’ve been doing it non-stop. It’s been a long hard journey.
“I get goosebumps when I talk about it because I know how hard it’s been.
“Fighting for small amounts of money – but it’s held me good. I have 110 per cent belief that I’m going to beat this kid but I’m going to beat him very well and make a big statement.”
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Kambosos, who stands to make around $3 million for the fight, says staying mentally fresh for the bout hasn’t been a problem, despite the constant uncertainty.
He declared his “laser focus” is one of the intangible gifts he’s been blessed with. However, the hard-nosed fighter conceded being away from his children was tough but it never swayed him from the eventual goal.
“I get to speak to them when I wrap up my day and all the way until I fall asleep and I get up early and I give them a phone call before they go to bed,” he said.
“Sometimes my little one will want me to read a book or tell her a story. My daughter is four and my son is two.
“They understand what Dad is doing. Coming home and seeing how much they grew in that four months gave me so much more motivation and cemented what I’m doing it for.
“I’m doing it for them. I’m doing it for Australia. I’m doing it for Greece. I’m doing it for everything I’ve been through. My team, everyone around me, but ultimately I’m doing it for my kids.
“To give them the best life and say ‘Look, Dad became the undisputed champ with all odds against him and he did it’.”
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