Threats and $50k bets set chaotic Kambosos scene

Murray Wenzel | June 13, 2025

George Kambosos Jnr has been warned he “won’t make it out of this city” in a chaotic prelude to his New York world title shot.

The plucky Australian and former unified lightweight champion will look to go 3-0 at Madison Square Garden Theatre on Sunday (AEST) against IBF super lightweight strap-holder Richardson Hitchins.

The pair were due to face off after their press conference on Friday but that never happened after a series of altercations, including Hitchins’ trainer lifting his stool and threatening to charge at Team Kambosos.

Hitchins had earlier flashed what he claimed was $50,000 in Kambosos face and urged him to match the all-or-nothing bet, the Australian pushing him away and ripping open his shirt as security swarmed.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn cancelled the face-off as Devin Haney’s father Bill piped up from the crowd to spark another slanging match with the American.

Kambosos Jnr’s father George Snr later claimed he had a physical altercation trying to protect himself from Hitchins’ trainer, Lenny Wilson.

“F*** around and you won’t make it out of this city,” Brooklyn native Hitchins told Kambosos.

“F***ing bum, you (are) going to get it.”

Kambosos claims he’s already bet that much on himself at $7 odds to upset the American, who beat Australian champion Liam Paro in December to snatch the title.

The drama plays into the hands of underdog Kambosos, who is returning to the site of his famous 2021 defeat of Teofimo Lopez.

Kambosos is 2-0 at MSG and 5-0 in the United States.

“This is the trifecta,” said Kambosos, 22-3 (10 KOs), before the question-and-answer format of the event broke down.

“I’m coming here as the underdog.

“I’m coming to win this fight. You’ve seen it before, you’ve seen it in his eyes, whatever it takes, by any means. There is no Plan B.”

Hitchins, 19-0 (7 KOs), was in the stadium the night Kambosos upset Lopez.

“This is what I’ve worked for my whole life,” he said.

“I remember coming to The Garden and watching Teofimo and Kambosos compete.

“I said, ‘I can beat both of them guys. As soon as I get my opportunity, I’ll be a world champion. I’ll bring the championship back to the city’.

“New York had a lot of big fights through the years, but New York hasn’t had their own since eight, 10 years ago.”