Former unified world champion George Kambosos Jr is vowing to destroy Maxi Hughes to remind the boxing world he's anything but yesterday's hero.
Kambosos will take on the big-talking Brit in Oklahoma on Sunday (AEST) in his first fight since relinquishing his four lightweight belts to Devin Haney last year and losing a subsequent rematch with the American in October.
The Sydney slayer had won his first 20 professional fights and upset Teofimo Lopez at New York's famed Madison Square Gardens to claim the IBF, WBA, WBO and The Ring straps before falling to the still undefeated Haney, who is widely regarded among the premier pound-for-pound pugilists on the planet.
A victory over Hughes would put Kambosos back on the path to world title glory, with the winner likely to square off with either Haney or Argentine Gustavo Lemos if the undisputed champion vacates the division and steps up in weight.
"I lost to one guy and I think the boxing world is forgetting that. I have to remind them again," Kambosos said on Friday.
"The biggest thing is - and excuse my French - I’m a greedy motherf...er now, so every hole there is, I'm gunna take it.
"I'm looking to absolutely destroy this man in my path."
"And that's no disrespect. Like I've said many times, I like Maxi.
"But there are levels to this. I've been there many times and the way I feel right now, the sacrifices I've made in the US sparring, the training with the coaches, you're going to see a different 'Ferocious' (Kambosos).
"I'm going to show you who I am."
Kambosos believes fighting in the US rather than at home in Australia like his two bouts with Haney has allowed him to focus solely on preparing instead of promoting the world title eliminator.
"Everyone knows the road that I took," the 30-year-old said.
"I was in the US for many years and everyone kind of heard ‘who is this guy from Australia?’ Then I got my opportunity and made that statement.
"As soon as I won the belts, I went back home and, as much as I trained like an animal, there are distractions.
"I was trying to promote a stadium fight.
"I had to come back to the US to feel what it's like here. Reinvent, relight that fire even more."
Hughes (26-5-2, 5KO) reckons Kambosos (20-2, 10KO) is still carrying the mental demons from his twin losses to Haney.
But Kambosos is convinced he will win.
"I see this fight so clearly," Kambosos said.
"There is not one bit of doubt in my mind that I will take this guy out."
