In an eagerly anticipated matchup, George Kambosos is slated to face Vasiliy Lomachenko for the vacant IBF lightweight title on Sunday, May 12, in Perth.
The confirmation of this long-rumoured bout, reported by ESPN‘s Mike Coppinger, marks Kambosos’ quest to bring a third world title fight to Australian soil.
The RAC Arena in Perth, boasting a 15,000-seat capacity, will play host to the showdown, where both fighters aim to reclaim the world title in the 135-pound category.
Formerly holding belts at featherweight, super featherweight, and lightweight, two-time Olympic gold medalist Lomachenko suffered a setback in 2020 when Teofimo Lopez dethroned him.
Kambosos then secured the unified titles from Lopez in late 2021 but faced defeats in back-to-back matches against Devin Haney, who subsequently defended the undisputed title against Lomachenko.
As Lomachenko, turning 36 next month, steps into the ring for the first time since his loss to Haney, Kambosos, 30, returns from his own battles against Haney, securing a victory against Maxi Hughes in July 2023.
With Haney’s move to super lightweight and claiming a world title there, the 135-pound belts are up for grabs.
The Kambosos-Lomachenko clash, promoted by Top Rank, is scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Australia, allowing for a Saturday night primetime slot on ESPN in America.
In his 20 professional bouts, Ukraine’s Lomachenko has rarely fought outside the US, making this international matchup a rare spectacle.
The card is expected to feature two more Australians, Jason and Andrew Moloney, with Jason successfully defending his WBO bantamweight title recently and Andrew eyeing a return to the title picture at super flyweight.
