The Final Round | ‘Clever’ Haney to beat Kambosos on points

After a thrilling win for lightweight superstar Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis at the weekend, the division is back in the spotlight on Saturday as George Kambosos Jr fights Devin Haney in Melbourne.

Kambosos is putting the WBA, IBF and WBO titles that he won in last year’s upset of Teofimo Lopez on the line at Marvel Stadium, while Haney’s WBC belt is also up for grabs. Who will unite the division?

In the latest edition of The Final Round, David Alorka and Gareth A Davies look ahead to the fight, and Saturday’s super featherweight title fight between Joe Cordina and Kenichi Ogawa in Cardiff.

🥊 George Kambosos vs Devin Haney
🥊 Kenichi Ogawa vs Joe Cordina
🥊 Gervonta Davis vs Rolly Romero

Check out the latest news in the world of boxing in this week's #FinalRound with @davidalorka and @GarethADaviesDT pic.twitter.com/Fs6qMIT9b1

— William Hill (@WilliamHill) May 31, 2022

Speaking about Kambosos v Haney, Gareth said: “It’s a phenomenal fight. George Kambosos showed just how brilliant he is and how he rises to the occasion to beat Teofimo Lopez last year and win all these belts.

“Devin Haney is a different fish, though. He is going to bring all kinds of issues for Kambosos. He’s a very clever boxer. Very, very self-entitled in his self-belief in what he can do in the ring.

“I think he’s got it all to do down there in Australia. But I just think Haney is a different level fighter. He has the skills to win this fight. [He] can’t be drawn into a dog fight with Kambosos, which is the way he loves to do it. It’s a phenomenal fight and it sets up another undisputed champion.

“Who am I picking? I think Haney on points. I think he’s so clever. But if he gets drawn into that dog fight with Kambosos, it’s not where he wants to be. He’s not a toe-to-toe merchant, but I see him winning comfortably in this fight on points, if he can exert his game plan.”

Haney is EVS to take the titles off Kambosos with a points victory, while the Australian is 11/8 to retain his belts and 5/2 to do it on points.

While there is a rematch clause for both fighters, Gareth thinks ‘Tank’ Davis – who knocked Rolando Romero in the sixth round of their lightweight fight on Saturday – should get a shot at the winner.

“Tank Davis is very special and very gifted,” said Gareth. “He showed it in this fight [with Romero].

“In my view, Tank Davis is the guy that should be challenging for the undisputed next. He’s brilliant. He’s been through an incredible life, so much hardship, but he is an absolute talent in the sport. And he showed that on Saturday night.”

Another fighter eyeing a title is Welshman Cordina and Gareth thinks he could take the IBF super featherweight belt off Ogawa in Cardiff.

Gareth added: “Brilliant fight for Joe Cordina, who’s come down a weight division to challenge Kenichi Ogawa – who’s a very strong, come-forward fighter.

“But I think Cordina is a very clever fighter. I think he’s got the style to beat Ogawa.

“[And] if he can win this fight, it potentially sets up a fight with, I think, the new Mayweather of the sport, Shakur Stevenson – who holds two of the belts at super feather and is going to move up to lightweight soon and is a two-weight world champion, probably destined to be pound-for-pound number one in a couple of years’ time.

“I think he [Cordina] can do it, I think he can win this fight on points. I think it’ll be an incredibly tough fight for him, but he may well be the world champion in Cardiff on Saturday night.”

You can get all the latest boxing odds and offers at williamhill.com.