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- What: Vacant IBF lightweight title fight
- Who: Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr.
- Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024
- Time: 10 p.m. ET
- Location: RAC Arena in Perth, Australia
- How to Watch: ESPN+, ESPN
The vacant IBF lightweight title is up for grabs on Saturday when Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr. face off at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The title was left vacant when Devin Haney moved up to 140 pounds to face Regis Prograis for the WBC junior welterweight title. Lomachenko enters Saturday’s fight as The Ring’s No.1 ranked fighter in the lightweight division, while Kambosos checks in at No. 7. Here is some background on the fighters before we discuss, in detail, the betting breakdown of the Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos matchup.
Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3 with 11 knockouts) faced Haney for the undisputed lightweight title in May 2023 but fell short in that bout, dropping a unanimous decision to the champion. That setback ended a three-fight winning streak for the former WBA, WBO, WBC, and The Ring lightweight champ. Lomachenko’s prior loss came in October 2020 when Teófimo López took those titles from him via unanimous decision.
George Kambosos (21-2 with 10 KOs) also tasted defeat at the hands of Haney. Kambosos became the undisputed lightweight champion in 2021 when he defeated Lopez by split decision. His title reign ended in his first bout when Haney scored a unanimous decision win over Kambosos. Haney also won their rematch by unanimous decision. Kambosos’ most recent fight was a July 2023 majority decision over Maxi Hughes.
Before we look at the lightweight fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos, check out the best boxing betting sites, where you can find the best boxing picks.
Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr. betting picks
| To Win Vacant IBF Lightweight Title |  |  |  |
| Vasiliy Lomachenko | -700 | -800 | -700 |
| George Kambosos Jr | +450 | +475 | +450 |
Vasiliy Lomachenko betting breakdown
As a younger fighter, the former two-time Olympic gold medal winner was seen as an unstoppable force, especially when he was fighting at 126 and 130 pounds. He earned his nickname “The Matrix” because of his footwork and his ability to change angles with ease and keep his opponent from getting a bead on what was coming their way. Vasiliy Lomachenko has never been a fast starter, instead, he spends the early rounds of his fights gathering data on how to best adjust to what his opponent is giving him inside the ring. One of the best technical boxers working today, that style worked for Lomachenko until it didn’t, most notably against Teofimo Lopez in 2020.
At 36, time might be catching up to Lomachenko. When he was younger and faster he could take the early portion of fights to gather data and then ramp up his attacks and make up for losing those early rounds. That may no longer be the case. He needs to be more active earlier.
Lomachenko is the smaller fighter in this matchup in terms of height and reach. He needs to avoid Kambosos’s jab. Instead, he has to use his speed and angles to get in, land his punches, and then move out of range before Kambosos responds. Most importantly, he needs to be active and win rounds from the start of the fight. He can’t wait until the middle rounds to pick up the pace and implement his will.
George Kambosos Jr. betting breakdown
We saw an improved version of George Kambosos in his rematch with Devin Haney. The former champ made adjustments to his game in that fight, switching stances, employing more active footwork, and showing a lot of odd angles. In short, Kambosos tried to be unpredictable.
What Kambosos didn’t do against Haney was match his stance switching with offense. If he wants to succeed with this style of fighting, Kambosos needs to be more fluid and up his output, even if it is just connecting with jabs. What he can’t do is become unfocused like he did against Maxi Hughes. He can’t lunge in; he can’t fight off balance, and he can’t provide openings for a technician like Lomachenko to exploit. Kambosos has a height and reach advantage in this matchup and must use whatever edge he has. He needs to be unpredictable, but unpredictable while scoring points and banking rounds.
Kambosos cannot sit back and be a counter puncher in this scrap.
Best Bets for Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. George Kambosos Jr.
The betting odds for this matchup make George Kambosos someone to consider. He represents a lot of betting value because he is a substantial betting underdog. With that in mind, Kambosos is not the fighter I am wagering on; the betting pick is Vasiliy Lomachenko, who will win via decision and claim the vacant IBF lightweight title.
See below the top offshore sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
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