Will Teofimo Lopez vs George Kambosos Bring The Excitement to Live Up to Fights at Madison Square Garden?
On November 27th , at the Hulu Theatre, Madison Square Garden, the holder of the WBO, WBA and IBF lightweight titles Teofimo Lopez, will take on mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr in a fight that has a
storied and controversial build-up.
According to author at WSN.com Evan Henningsen, the odds heavily favor Lopez over the challenger. The US star, who rose to the top after a surprise defeat of Vasiliy Lomachenko will be fighting in his hometown and will have plenty of support from fans and bettors as he bids to defend his titles.
Henningsen also elaborates on what operators got the best odds if one wants to place a bet on Lopez or the contender. Research made by World Sports Network along with Evan Henningsen shows that Caesars sportsbook who recently acquired William Hill in order to increase their variety of bets and bonuses.
However, will the upcoming bout be a fight that is worthy of the Garden? A venue that has hosted some of the greatest boxing moments in the history of the sport?
Sugar Ray Robinson vs Jake LaMotta I
Among the earliest notable clashes at the Garden was the October 1942 bout between Jake LaMotta and Sugar Ray Robinson. This was the first of six epic clashes between the two, and Robinson emerged the winner, although LaMotta dropped his opponent in the first round.
Rocky Marciano vs Joe Louis
Nine years later, Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano took center stage at the Garden. Louis, forced to come out of retirement for financial reasons, was taking on a man 10 years younger and at the peak of his powers, but the bout captured the imagination of the boxing world. Marciano won by TKO in the eighth round, but the experience of beating one of his heroes reduced him to tears.
Muhammad Ali vs Joe Frazier I & II
In the 1970s, the Garden was the venue for two epic clashes between all-time greats Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. The “Fight of the Century” in 1971 brought together two undefeated heavyweights, with Ali aiming to regain the belts he had been stripped of for refusing to fight in Vietnam.
However, it was Frazier who emerged victorious with a KO in the final round. Ali’s revenge came three years later, when, with a change of tactics, he outfoxed Frazier at the same venue.
Other Big Fights At The Garden
The Garden has continued to be one of the foremost fighting venues in the modern era, hosting such clashes as the 2019 bout between Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz. The historic UFC bout between Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez in the same year and Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz at UFC 244.
So is Lopez vs Kambosos Worthy?
Whether this fight will rise to the same heights remains to be seen of course. Although, there is the potential for a classic encounter. These are two undefeated fighters and after the protracted fight build-up, which has included contractual wrangles and health issues, they will be desperate to get it on.
Lopez is accustomed to being the favorite. Although he went into the bout against Lomachenko as the underdog, that was unusual for this rising star. Nevertheless, he won’t risk taking Kambosos lightly.
The Australian has a counter-punching style that can often be effective against unwary or overconfident opponents. His strong footwork enables him to back up his opponents and he boasts fast hands and a busy jab. He also has the conditioning to be competitive deep into fights. In fact, he is known for pushing the pace in the later rounds.
Lopez will need to be wary of his opponent’s countering style, but he certainly has the tools to prevail. His head movement and exceptional reflexes open up plenty of opportunities as he is able to get into the pocket, avoid the big blows and unload on his opponent.
The New York native is also adept at anticipating his opponent’s moves and intercepting them with his devastating knockout power as they come forward. On top of that, any lingering questions about his conditioning or wider technical skill set were answered emphatically by his victory over Lomachenko.
Kambosos will hope that his faster hands will ultimately win the day in this fight, but his lack of knockout power could cost him. He has a 19-0 record, but only 10 of those wins came via stoppage.
By contrast, Lopez has stopped his opponents 12 times out of 16 on his way to the top. This fight is shaping up to be a fascinating clash between fast hands and energy on the one hand and punching power, reflexes and boxing IQ on the other. It is certainly a fight that belongs in the Garden and fans will be hoping that the occasion lives up to the hype.
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