George Kambosos Jr‘s incredible win over Teofimo Lopez is already being talked about as one of the best bouts in recent history – but how about of all time?
The quality of the fight was enough for boxing commetator and trainer Teddy Atlas to compare it to the Rumble in the Jungle – with Kambosos playing the role of Muhammad Ali, and Lopez serving as George Foreman.
“I’m not crazy – there was similarities,” Atlas said on his podcast, with Kambosos as his guest.
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“Ali was going into a fight as the underdog with a great puncher, intimidating guy, and a guy that he wasn’t supposed to have a chance with,” Atlas said to Kambosos.
“You were going into the ring with a great puncher, an explosive guy, an undefeated guy, and a guy you were supposed to have no chance [against].”
Atlas said that like Ali in Zaire, from the outset, Kambosos fought like a man who wasn’t scared, and wasn’t leaving the ring without the belt – which was key to his success.
After his win over Lopez, Kambosos referenced the advice that legendary boxing trainer Cus D’Amato gave Ali before that Foreman fight – in terms of coming forward, and showing no fear.
“I really did leave no stone unturned – I checked every box,” Kambosos said.
“100 per cent, Muhammad Ali had no chance, no one gave him a chance against George Foreman.”
The advice from D’Amato – to hit Foreman with the best right you’ve ever delivered – led others to think he was crazy.
“No one throws a right hand, in the championship fight, in the first round like that, with bad intentions. And that stuck in my mind,” Kambosos said.
“I knew this kid psychologically, very emotionally [he] was too much in this fight. I said it all week I’m not taking this personal, there is no emotion attached to me, I’m here to do a job.”
With 15 seconds left in the first round, Kambosos saw his window to make an impact.
“He came flying, guns blazing, trying to land the big shot. I saw it, I saw that mistake.
“He came in heavy on that front foot, the chin was there. I said ‘here’s my moment, here’s my Cus D’Amato moment’. I’m gonna land my right hand, I’m gonna gain my respect, I’m gonna earn my respect – and if he goes down, he goes down.”
Kambosos said he wasn’t taking things personally, but one thing stuck with him in the lead-up; and that was the attitude from the Lopez camp that the fight could potentially be over in the first round.
“I had to say it. I looked at him, and it’s a beautiful moment. I said ‘hey, one round, I’m still here, and I put you down.’ And that’s when the fight really began,” he said.
“I just saw his soul get taken out of him.”
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