One loss has not quelled George Kambosos’s desire to face the best that the lightweight division has to offer.

It has, however, brought the now former lineal and unified champion back to reality.

“’The Emperor’ is dead,” insisted Kambosos. “‘Ferocious’ is back.”

Sydney’s Kambosos (20-1, 10KOs) hopes to revert back to old form for his rematch with Devin Haney this Saturday evening (Sunday afternoon local time) on ESPN from Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The bout comes barely four months after Haney (28-0, 15KOs) became the undisputed lightweight champion after soundly outpointing Kambosos over twelve rounds at Marvel Stadium, also in Melbourne.

The feat left Kambosos without the lineal/WBA ‘Super’/IBF/WBO lightweight titles he claimed in a well-earned decision win over then-undefeated Teofimo Lopez Jr. last November in New York City. Both fighters hit the deck—Lopez early, Kambosos late—but with the Australian boxer closing the show to pull off the upset and pick up by far the biggest win of his career.

It came after months of the industry attaching the ‘Four Kings’ label to the division’s young guns—Lopez, Haney, Ryan Garcia (23-0, 19KOs) and Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis (27-0, 25KOs). To date, none of the four have fought—other than on social media—and with Kambosos having now entered his third fight among names from that list.

The fight with Haney came about only after former three-division titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko (16-2, 11KOs) was forced to withdraw from a previously accepted title shot at Kambosos. The Ukrainian southpaw was due to challenge for the crown in June before being called to serve in a national defense battalion in the ongoing Russo-Ukraine war.

Haney stepped up and answered the call, resulting in the end of Kambosos’ title reign and unbeaten ways. Their June 5 fight came with a rematch clause that was immediately exercised by Kambosos, who would have been forgiven had he decided to head in a different direction given the lopsided nature of their first fight.

Such a move is completely out of character for the still relevant player in the loaded lightweight division.

“I want to continue fighting the best of the best. I’m in my prime now. I’m 29,” noted Kambosos. “Getting back on top is the most important thing. [Haney’s] mindset now is getting to all those different fighters. I kind of fell into that trap myself the first fight, focusing on all these different fighters, who am I going to fight next.

“I’m fighting Devin Haney. That’s the most important thing. When I’m victorious, God willing, then we’ll analyze and look at all options. For now, there’s only one fighter in my sights.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox