Ruthless Lomachenko stops Kambosos to win IBF lightweight title in Perth

Vasiliy Lomachenko of Ukraine celebrates after winning against George Kambosos Jr on Sunday in Perth, Australia.Photograph: Richard Wainwright/EPA

Vasiliy Lomachenko has stopped George Kambosos Jr in the 11th round to win the IBF lightweight title at the RAC Arena in Perth, becoming a four-time world champion across three different weight classes.

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The two-time Olympic gold medalist from Ukraine returned from a year-long layoff following a controversial loss to Devin Haney to punish his opponent over 10 rounds before dropping him early in the 11th. Kambosos beat the count but Lomachenko quickly closed it and dropped Kambosos again with a pair of body shots, which prompted his corner to throw in the towel.

Lomachenko, 36, won virtually every minute of every round in a masterclass performance before 14,147 fans, outlanding Kambosos by a 175-40 margin according to Compubox’s punch statistics.

“My plan was to adjust to my opponent,” Lomachenko said after the fight. “This is what I did in the fight. Toward the end of the rounds I needed to finish strong. In the last three rounds, I was trying to find his body.”

Afterward, Lomachenko addressed a mid-fight tweet from Gervonta Davis saying the pair would fight next after Davis’s fight with Frank Martin next month.

“You know, during my boxing career I’ve never run around and I’ve always taken fights,” Lomachenko said. “After I rest a little bit, we can talk about the future.”

Kambosos shot to stardom with a stunning 2021 upset of Teófimo López for the IBF, WBA and WBO lightweight titles at 135lbs, only to lose them in a four-belt unification bout with Haney the following year.

“This guy is one of the best of all time,” Kambosos said afterward. “We tried our best, but he’s a good champion. He deserves that belt. I gave it my all.

“I’m still alive, I’m still standing. I ain’t dead.”