Location – Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Date – March 22nd
George “Ferocious” Kambosos Jr. returns to Sydney, aiming to advance his career against the (on-paper) heavy-handed Jake Wyllie in front of a home crowd. While Wyllie’s record boasts a stellar 93.75% knockout ratio, a deeper look, coupled with Kambosos Jr.’s past form, leads to my prediction of George Kambosos Jr. to win via points decision.
Recent Form and Lessons Learned
Kambosos Jr.’s recent outings have been a mixed bag, showcasing both his resilience and the challenges of competing at the elite level. His fight with Vasyl Lomachenko, while ending in an 11th round stoppage, showed the classic Kambosos Jr. grit and determination. He displayed a willingness to engage with one of boxing’s most technically gifted fighters, absorbing heavy punishment but refusing to quit until the referee stopped the fight. This has become a hallmark of his career and losses so far, he doesn’t have an ounce of quit in him and will take anyone on, a rare sight at elite level in the lightweight ranks.
His last win was a majority decision victory over Maxi Hughes, which however, was met with significant controversy at the time. The scorecards, reading Josef Mason 117-111, Gerald Ritter 115-113, and David Sutherland 114-114, sparked widespread debate. While Kambosos Jr. was declared the winner, many observers (myself included) felt that Hughes had done enough to deserve the win. The 117-111 scorecard in particular drew heavy criticism, with the general feeling that Hughes out-boxed Kambosos.
Crucially, Kambosos Jr.’s recent form also reinforces a key aspect of his style: he is not a one-punch knockout artist. In fact, he hasn’t secured a knockout victory since June 7th, 2019, against Richard Pena. He has never been known for having one punch KO power, and while he’s not afraid of getting into close quarters tear-up, and might want to secure a stoppage in front of the home crowd, I can see the fight going the distance.
The Tale of Two Records and the Experience Gap
Wyllie’s 16-1 record, with 15 knockouts, is undeniably impressive. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the level of competition he has faced, having never fought outside of Australia and against debutants, 5-0 novices and journeymen. Kambosos Jr’s resume, featuring Lomachenko, Devin Haney (twice), Teofimo Lopez (in his big upset win), Maxi Hughes and Lee Selby, provides a stark contrast. He has been tested (and lost) against the absolute best, while Wyllie has yet to face a fighter of comparable caliber.
The Prediction
Winner: George Kambosos Jr
Method of Victory: Unanimous decision
Odds/Return: 13/5 bet365, £10 returns £36
I’m going George Kambosos Jr. via a clear unanimous points decision, demonstrating his class and setting the stage for future challenges in the lightweight division. The hometown crowd in Sydney will witness a lesson in how, as the saying goes, there are levels to this game.
