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AAP
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Sport
George Clarke

Historic homecoming beckons for Kambosos

George Kambosos is open to his first boxing world title defence being hosted in Sydney or Melbourne. (AAP)

George Kambosos hopes to announce his opponent for his first world title defence by the end of February, warning his lightweight rivals to get serious if they want a shot at his belts.

Kambosos stunned the boxing world last November when he recorded what many claimed was the greatest victory in Australian boxing history by defeating American Teofimo Lopez in New York to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF lightweight world titles.

Ukraine's Vasiliy Lomachenko, who lost to Lopez in 2020, or undefeated Devin Haney are the two men hoping to face the unbeaten Australian (20-0).

But the Sydnesider has told Lomachenko and Haney if they don't put a serious proposal together then they may miss the boat altogether.

"I don't have a preference on which I want to fight, I would fight them both on the same night if I had to," he told AAP.

"It's about who comes in with the better offer. The ball is in their court to step up to the table and show how much they want this fight.

"I've got all the belts and all the jewels so they have got to travel here."

Kambosos's team has pencilled in late May or the Queen's Birthday weekend in June as the dates for a fight which he believes will "be the biggest fight in Australian history".

As part of his new-found fame, Kambosos was mobbed on a recent trip to Melbourne where he watched Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas beat Jannik Sinner on Rod Laver Arena in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The straight-talking Kambosos hasn't fought on home soil since 2017 with both the Victorian capital and his hometown of Sydney in the bidding to host his next bout.

"Marvel Stadium is perfect and Rod Laver is beautiful but it's a little bit too small for a mega fight," he said.

"Then in Sydney, there's ANZ Stadium or the SCG. I've envisioned that I'll fight in all these stadiums by the time I do eventually hang them up.

"It's all moving parts and I know both states want it. Whichever state misses out, I'm only 28 and I'm here to reign for a long time.

"So if they don't get the first defence then they'll get the second defence. This is going to be a long reign."

Kambosos brushed off the idea of giving himself a tune-up fight before facing Haney or Lomachenko.

"I'm in great condition, I don't need one," he said.

"I'm not here to fool the Australian public. Even this last year they have been fooled and ripped off enough with certain fights.

"I've brought these belts back and I'm the hottest name in the boxing world.

"I've reached the top of the mountain and now there's another mountain to climb."

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