Hitchins (19-0 7 KOs) returns home to New York for the first defense of the title that he won with a clinical performance against Australian Liam Paro in Puerto Rico in December. The unbeaten 27 year old is back in the Big Apple for the first time since February 2023 where he dominated John Bauza, with his last two wins seeing his shut-out Jose Zepeda in Orlando in September 2023 before he set up his World title shot against Paro with victory in a final eliminator over Gustavo Lemos in Las Vegas last April.
Kambosos Jr (22-3 10 KOs) has very fond memories of the venue too, with the Australian returning to the scene of his greatest night, where he became the king at 140lbs by stunning Teofimo Lopez in November 2021. ‘Ferocious’ returned Down Under where he twice met Devin Haney in Melbourne before welcoming Vasiliy Lomachenko to Perth, with a victory over Maxi Hughes in Oklahoma. The 31 year old claimed the 22nd win of his pro career in March against Jake Wyllie in Sydney and will look to become a two-time World ruler against Hitchins.
“June 14, NY we are here baby!” said Hitchins. “The 140lb king returns home, headlining my first show at MSG, as a World champion. Just saying it aloud gives me chills. I dreamed of moments like this as a kid and now we are here.
“George Kambosos is not on my level. Never has been, never will be. He’s talked himself into this fight, and now he’s going to pay the price for running his mouth. He had the biggest win of his career and crowning moment in this building, and on June 14 I end his career in that same building.
“This is my time, my division, and I plan on putting on a spectacular performance and showing the world that I am one of the best fighters on the planet.”
“The stars align again, history always repeats, I head back to a place I created legacy at, a home where I may be regarded as an underdog again but a familiar place that i thrive in,” said Kambosos Jr.
“I stand 2-0 at Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, and on June 14, I will make it 3-0 when I rip Hitchins’ belt off him and break his will, take his heart and ruin his undefeated career.
“He has never been in a fight with a fighter like me, I have stepped to the absolute best, a resume unlike any. This is my 6th World title fight. I’ve built countless experience and at my new weight of 140 pounds I feel tremendous and very motivated to become a two-weight World champion.
“He likes to talk for a man that deep down hasn’t achieved much, so I look forward to taking him to a place he has never been and seeing how much of the talk is real and how much of it is fake like others in the past. See you June 14, shytchins”
