George Kambosos Jr has taken a leaf out of the book of his conqueror Devin Haney as the Australian bids to return to the top of world boxing.

The former unified world champion will square up to England’s Maxi Hughes in Oklahoma on Sunday (AEST) in his first fight since relinquishing his four lightweight belts to Haney last year and losing a subsequent rematch with the American.

The Hughes fight is an IBF eliminator with victory opening up a pathway back to a world title fight.

Kambosos said that Haney had reached out to him with some pointers, while the Sydneysider was ringside in Las Vegas in May to show support as the young gun downed Ukranian Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Kambosos said there was mutual respect between the pair, despite the wild scenes and near riot that marked their pre-title fight weigh-in confrontation in 2022.

Haney brought a dietician to Melbourne for both his fights and Kambosos (20-2, 10KO) said he’d also engaged some expert advice to give him another edge over Hughes.

Maintaining his 135lb fight weight, the 30-year-old said he’d never been stronger.

“I’ve brought a dietician in for the first time in 22 fights – never had one before,” Kambosos told AAP.

‘I’ve gone extra and above’

“It shows how much sacrifice and on point I am for this fight – I’ve gone extra and above to make a statement with this fight because I know there’s big opportunities to come.

“I’m probably the lightest I’ve been coming into fight week in my whole career but I’m training like an animal and I’m bigger and stronger as I’ve been able to add that extra muscle.”

Kambosos has spent six weeks training in the US with different sparring partners and trainers while he said 33-year-old Hughes hadn’t budged from his Yorkshire base.

He felt he’d have an answer for anything Hughes (26-5-2, 5KO) threw at him.

“I’ve made the sacrifice while he’s stayed in the UK sparring the local guys, the same he’s faced his whole career,” Kambosos said.

“I respect him and I’m happy he’s accepted the fight – we know that this is his Super Bowl.

“I’ve already seen multiple holes in his game, we’re levels above this guy.

“I don’t need to talk too much to try to get under the skin of Maxi Hughes.

“He will do that himself coming up against a guy like me.”

-AAP