George Kambosos Jr. predicts Pacquiao knockout “within six rounds”

GEORGE Kambosos Jr. has given his prediction for the biggest fight in Australian boxing history, and it doesn’t end well for Jeff Horn.

After spending the last four weeks in the Philippines as the main sparring partner to eleven-time world champion, Manny Pacquiao, Kambosos has made it clear that he believes there’s plenty left in the tank of the 38-year-old. So much so that he feels Pacquiao will end his run of eight years without a knockout victory.

“I believe Manny is going to knock Jeff out within six rounds,” Kambosos boldly declared.

Pacquiao, considered by many to be the best fighter of his generation, may well be coming to the tail end of his career but Kambosos strongly believes that he still has an arsenal of weapons with which to defeat Horn.

“Manny will shock him with everything,” Kambosos said.

“He is so capable with whatever he chooses to throw, and he lands with so much speed and intensity. Whatever he chooses can end it. It could be the left hook, the straight left down the middle or the right hook or even that left uppercut he landed on (Miguel) Cotto. Take your pick.”

The fight has been very well received here in Australia but there are many in boxing circles that see this as a mismatch of sorts. Because of this, there seems to be a feeling that perhaps Pacquiao is taking Horn lightly. Kambosos was quick to quell such a statement.

“Manny respects a young hungry guy like Horn,” says Kambosos.

“Jeff’s going to go in there, like a young bull and he’s going to have 50,000 people behind him giving him the best chance to win. Manny knows this, his whole team knows this and I told Manny myself, you see how I train, he’s a young hungry guy like me, looking for a shot, so he’s aware of all this and it’s going to be very, very difficult for Jeff to get a win.”

Kambosos is one of Australia’s brightest talents right now and the chance to train alongside Manny Pacquiao was one he couldn’t afford to turn down.

The brash young fighter from Sydney undoubtedly gained valuable experience sharing the ring with a fighter of Manny’s calibre but Kambosos also believes his presence in the Pacquiao camp has done the champion a world of good.

“He’s an eleven time world champion, he’s been there so many times and you can see that he’s got the fire back,” Kambosos proclaimed. “I believe I’m a part of that fire. Having a young guy over there pushing him hard, I feel like I’ve ignited that fire for him.

Kambosos may have lit more than one fire when he signed on to become Pacquiao’s chief sparring partner. With Jeff Horn recently commenting that perhaps Kambosos should have called him before taking the job, a degree of friction developed between two of Australia’s best fighters.

“Jeff was a little upset with me going over there and sparring, he said I should have given him a ring but at the end of the day I don’t owe Jeff anything, he doesn’t pay my bills,” Kambosos said.

“If Jeff still has a grudge about it and is a little upset about it after the fight then he can come and do something about it and we can do our talking in the ring. I’m not worried about two weight divisions.”

Horn undoubtedly has his hands full finalising preparations to fight one of the sports true greats in Pacquiao but if Kambosos’ prediction rings true and he fails to defy the odds with a victory there could very well be an opportunity for an all Aussie bout between two men who, when all is said and done, are inextricable linked by way of boxing royalty.