George Kambosos Jr and his dad pinpoint moment during face-off with Devin Haney that has them convinced they’ve won the pre-fight mind games
Devin Haney was the first man to blink and look away when he faced off with George Kambosos Jr at their press conference on Friday – but that wasn’t the only moment that made the Aussie and his dad confident of victory.
Jim Kambosos was right next to his son during the stare-down and says the American – who goes into their Sunday fight as the favourite – betrayed his nerve with a facial tic that nobody else picked up on.
‘I saw something really interesting with Devin. That bottom jaw of his, I saw a quiver in it,’ he said after the fighters had gone their separate ways.
‘The longer the stare goes, you feel the eyes lock into each other. I really saw something there and George said later, “Dad, I saw it too,'” he told News Corp.
Haney was the first man to break eye contact during his stare down with Kambosos on Friday, but that wasn’t the only thing he did that gave the Aussie and his father a confidence boost
Jim Kambosos (left) said ‘George has got him’ after witnessing the pair’s face-off
‘The stare down tells you who is the top dog. It’s like who has got the bigger b***s, really.
‘It’s a matter of who will turn away first, who will flinch … I saw it with Devin. George has got him.’
Haney didn’t deny he was the first to break eye contact when he was asked about it after he squared up with his opponent.
‘It means nothing. All that matters is what happens in the ring on Sunday.’
The reigning WBO lightweight champ has had a less than ideal build-up to the fight, with his father and trainer Bill being banned from entering Australia due to a previous conviction for drug offences.
Haney got a huge boost on Friday when it was announced his father Bill had been granted a visa to come to Australia for the fight
Kambosos Jr said he saw a ‘very timid kid’ when he got up close with Haney
Haney’s camp hatched a plan to have his dad give him advice through an earpiece between rounds during the fight, but that was shot down by boxing authorities.
However, that all changed on Friday night, when it was announced Bill had been granted a visa to come Down Under and join his son’s corner in a huge boost for the American.
It won’t make any difference to the Aussie, who is displaying his usual laser-like focus and high intensity ahead of one of the biggest fights the country has ever seen.
‘I saw a very timid kid, nervous, he just wants to get the fight done and get home,’ he told Fox Sports.
Source: Daily Mail Online