George Kambosos Jr. is ready to turn the page on a forgettable yet very lucrative 2022 campaign that was marked by two losses against Devin Haney. 

The 30-year-old Greek-Australian who hails from New South Wales is preparing to rebound on July 22 when he takes on Maxi Hughes at the Firelake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma on ESPN. 

Kambosos (20-2, 10 KOs), the former unified lightweight world champion, said the 24 rounds of experience against Haney have prepared him to make another run, and this time successfully. 

“I'm looking to become world champion again by the end of this year. This is not a comeback -- it's a second coming of Ferocious Kambosos. I'm going to show how you bounce back from a loss,” Kambosos told BoxingScene.com in an interview.

“Devin is a big lightweight and his size made it a little bit more difficult for me. But a guy like Maxi Hughes, a southpaw who I've already seen the holes, it's going to be there for the taking. I can't wait to land the shots that I have been known to land. I added new artillery to the second coming of George Kambosos.” 

Hughes has strung together seven straight wins since his last defeat in 2019 against Liam Walsh. His wins have come against the likes of Jono Carroll, Ryan Walsh, and most recently in September, against Kid Galahad.

The 33-year-old Brit is a 13-year professional and will be making his United States debut. 

“I'm looking to take this guy out and make an emphatic statement and show the world that I am back. I haven't gone anywhere, I'm only getting better,” said Kambosos.

Kambosos will be looking to land his first win since November 2021 when he scored a shocking decision win against Teofimo Lopez Jr. to win three versions of the lightweight title. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.