George Kambosos Jr. could jitterbug and switch hit all that he wanted as a self-avowed reformed fighter. In the end, it made no difference: he simply had no answer for Devin Haney.

In virtually a repeat of their encounter four months earlier, the 23-year-old Haney outworked and bruised up Kambosos over 12 rounds to retain his four lightweight titles before a sold-out crowd at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia.

Once again, Haney’s speed, length, and boxing IQ was too much for Kambosos to overcome. What’s more, Haney, perhaps mindful of some of his critics who think he plays it too safe inside the ring, dished out even more punishment the second time around, repeatedly landing hard right hands that had Kambosos drenched in blood by the end of the fight.

The judges were unanimous in their opinion, giving Haney, a resident of Las Vegas, the nod on all three scorecards by margins that read 119-109, 118-110, and 118-110. Going by the scorecards alone, Haney won by even more lopsided fashion against Australia’s Kambosos than in their first fight in July. Back then, two judges scored the bout 116-112 for Haney, while the other had it 118-110. Haney’s dominance in the first fight seemingly made any rematch redundant but Kambosos had a right to invoke one, which he quickly did.

After months of trashtalking leading up to the first fight, a humbled Kambosos assumed a more docile persona going into the second meeting. He also ditched both his longtime trainer and manager.

Haney, who travelled to Australia as well for the first fight, dominated the first fight behind his jab. In the second, he gave the credit to his right hand.

“I went in there, I knew he was looking for the jab but I wanted to show some other tools in the arsenal,” Haney said in the post-fight interview. “My dad wanted me to throw the hook more but I felt like the right hand is what won me the fight tonight.”

Initially, it appeared Kambosos was going to make good on his promise to fight more aggressively against a pure boxer in Haney. And he did so, at least in the opening round, where Kambosos wasted no time trying to get close to his elusive adversary.

But Kambosos, an orthodox fighter, also seemed to make some curious moves, such as switching stances. His liberal, indiscriminate use of that habit made him a sitting duck for Haney’s right hands, something that Haney acknowledged afterward.

“Yeah, against a southpaw, the right hand is always on the money, and that’s what happened,” Haney said. “He’s a warrior. I take my hat off to George Kambosos.”

Unlike their first meeting, there was more entertainment value in the rematch. A fire fight broke out in the ninth round, with both fighters trading clean shots. But it was Haney who had the final word, even appearing to be on the verge of getting a stoppage in the 10th round.

Afterward, Haney insisted he now belongs on pound-for-pound lists.

“I should definitely be on the pound-for-pound rankings,” Kambosos said. “In the first fight he said all I had was a jab. Today I came in and showed my right hand. I showed my versatility. I came to Australia twice and I beat the man in his hometown twice. I definitely deserve to be on the pound for pound rankings.”

Asked if he wants to fight next the likes of Vasiliy Lomachenko and Gervonta Davis, Haney refrained from naming specific fighters. Haney, according to various reports, is thought to be on track to face Lomachenko (also a Top Rank client) in an ESPN pay-per-view showdown sometime next year.

“Man, we taking on all comers,” Haney said. “No matter who it is. We want to fight the best fighters in the world. I believe I’m the best fighter in the world. Whoever it is next, bring them on.”

In the first round, Kambosos fires off a combo in the first 10 second, a sign that the Aussie intends, at least on the surface, to fight more aggressively than in the first fight. With several seconds remaining, Kambosos lands the best punch of the fight, a clean overhand right at the end that forces Haney to hold.

Haney responds immediately,  in the second round, with a stiff one-two down the pipe. Haney lands a few jabs in what is otherwise an uneventful round.

In the third round, Haney starts to gain a bit of rhythm. Haney catches Kambosos lunging in with a stiff body shot. Haney follows up with another one-two, causing Kambosos to hold. Haney ends the round with another stiff right hand.

Holding abounds in the fourth round. The referee warns Kambosos for leading with his head during a clinch. Right before the bell, Kambosos catches Haney off guard with a lunging left hook.

Haney catches a reckless Kambosos with multiple counters, reddening the Aussie’s face.

Haney drills Kambosos with a stiff right a minute into the sixth round. Haney follows up with another lead right hand a minute alter. Blood starts to trickle from Kambosos’ left eye.

Kambosos looks like he is out of answers. In a dominant seventh round, Haney begins to walk down Kambosos, landing lead right hands. Haney punctuates the round with a left hook.

In an eighth round mostly dominated by Haney, Kambosos manages to get in a hard right hand late that rouses the crowd from its slumber. Haney returns to his corner with blood coming down from his right eye.

In the ninth round, Kambosos continues to find his newfound success. The Aussie gets in a hard right hand but Haney takes it well. Haney fires back with a right hand of his one. Both fighters are bleeding profusely. Haney has the last word by connecting on consecutive right hands and then a left hook.  

Haney comes out swinging in the 10th round, intent on getting a stoppage. He staggers Kambosos multiple times along the ropes. A gored-up Kambosos tries to hold. Kambosos, however, sneaks in a short right hand at the bell.

Kambosos steadies himself in the 11th round. He lands a counterpunch to the body. Late in the round, Kambosos catches Haney with a left hook. But Haney closes out the round strong, drilling Kambosos with  a pair of stiff one-twos.

The two jaw at each other during the 12th and final round. Haney fights off the backfoot, clinches repeatedly, and lands a straight right on a frustrated Kambosos, who misses wildly with his left hooks. Haney, assured that he has won, celebrates with a bolo wind-up.