Vasiliy Lomachenko expects Devin Haney to beat George Kambosos Jr. again, just not as easily as he out-boxed Kambosos in their first fight.

The undefeated Haney completely out-classed Kambosos in their initial meeting four months ago. The rangier, taller, more skillful Haney won that 12-round bout by scores of 118-110, 116-112 and 116-112 to become boxing’s first fully unified lightweight champion of the four-belt era.

Haney (28-0, 15 KOs), of Henderson, Nevada, and Kambosos (20-1, 10 KOs), of Sydney, Australia, will fight just four months after Haney won their first fight June 5 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia because he was contractually obligated to grant Kambosos an immediate rematch in Kambosos’ home country. Their second 12-rounder will take place Sunday afternoon at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, but it will be broadcast live by ESPN on Saturday night in the United States (10:30 p.m. ET; 7:30 p.m. PT).

Ukraine’s Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs), who is expected to face Haney next if he beats Kambosos again, thinks Kambosos will make adjustments that’ll give Haney more trouble this time around.

“I think that Haney is going to win, although it will be more difficult for him to win this time,” Lomachenko told BoxingScene.com, according to his translator. “It’s going to be a closer fight, in my opinion. The reason I think that is because Haney knows how to adapt to his opponent better, how to find a way against his opponent better. He’s a better fighter.”

Assuming Haney, who is listed as much as an 11-1 favorite, wins and Lomachenko defeats huge underdog Jamaine Ortiz on October 29, Lomachenko acknowledged that he would anticipate fighting for Haney’s IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 135-pound championships in the following fight for both boxers.

“We’re getting closer to our goal to face each other,” Lomachenko said. “And it’s in our hands. So, I think this fight is going to be organized if we successfully pass our opponents, respectively.”

Lomachenko took a brief break from boxing earlier this year to focus on his home country’s efforts in its war with Russia. He’ll end a 10-month layoff in two weeks when he opposes Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs), of Worcester, Massachusetts, in a 12-round main event ESPN+ will stream from Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater in New York.

“I have this goal to become an undisputed world champion,” Lomachenko said. “That’s how I was brought up – you set a goal. You do everything to achieve it, to reach the goal. And I guess when I become an undisputed champion, I’ll have better sleep at night.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.