George Kambosos Jnr believes a rematch with Teofimo Lopez could have been made possible by his successful move to 140lbs.

The 31-year-old on Saturday beat Jake Wyllie via 12-round decision, on the occasion of what represented his first fight since stepping up from lightweight, where with an unexpected victory over Lopez in 2021 he reigned as the unified champion. 

That Lopez, 27, has lost only to Kambosos Jnr and has otherwise recorded victories over the great Vasiliy Lomachenko, Sandor Martin and Josh Taylor – Martin and Taylor came at 140lbs, contributing to him becoming recognised as the world’s finest junior welterweight – perhaps also means that the Australian, having joined his weight division, will move back into his sights.

Lopez on May 2 defends his WBO title against Arnold Barboza Jnr, but having recorded victory over his countryman Wyllie – 24 years old and a late replacement for Daud Yordan as his opponent at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Kambosos Jnr’s home city – the Australian told BoxingScene: “That rematch can always happen. That rematch can always be there. There’s never been a hold up on my side – as long as it’s fair. As long as he gets his passport ready, and makes his way to Australia, because I beat him in his home town – I think that’s fair. 

“Or we can do it on neutral ground – somewhere that’s neutral. Saudi Arabia, or wherever. He’s got a job to do; there’s a lot of obstacles before we even get to that equation. My goal is to become champion again. If it’s [IBF champion Richardson] Hitchins, I’m more than happy to take out another New Yorker. Then we’ll have to wait and see.”

Hitchins has been mentioned by Eddie Hearn as Kambosos’ next opponent, with June the likely date - one month after Lopez fights Barboza.

“That rematch is always open. I need to focus on one step at a time, and he’s got to focus on the guy he’s got in front of him – he’s got a tough ask in Barboza. I like Barboza – he’s another guy that I speak with. He’s another guy that actually reached out in January, February, looking for maybe doing a big, big fight together. 

“You’ve got him. You’ve got Hitchins, who called me out. You’ve got so many big, big names. A lot of people hate to say it but Kambosos is still one of the biggest names in the boxing world. We’ve achieved a lot, and we just focus one step at a time.”

Devin Haney, who in 2022 defeated Kambosos Jnr in successive fights, fights Jose Carlos Ramirez on the same promotion as Lopez-Barboza Jnr. Lomachenko, who lost to Lopez in 2020 and Haney in 2023, defeated Kambosos Jnr in 2024; asked to rank them, Kambosos Jnr then responded: “It’s very hard. Haney and Lomachenko, they’re both very difficult for my style. 

“Haney’s a slicker, longer boxer; Lomachenko is the high output; the movement; the guy that makes you [think] all the time. Haney and Lomachenko, they’re both very equal to each other; both very difficult; hard to put anyone at one or two. 

“Even though Lopez beat Lomachenko, I thought that Lopez beat an injured Lomachenko. Lopez, for my style – Lopez is very athletic; strong – but for my style he’s the third in that equation. One and two is give or take. They’re equal – both very hard to fight, for my style.”