George Kambosos Jr beats former world champion Mickey Bey at Madison Square Garden

Australian world title contender George Kambosos Jr has scored the biggest win of his career, defeating former world champion Mickey Bey by split decision at Madison Square Garden.

Kambosos, 26, emerged from a quality fight in New York with a 97-92, 94-95, 96-93 verdict over his American rival.

'Ferocious' dropped Bey (23-3-1, 11 KO) in the 10th and final round with a stinging right uppercut, left hook combination and again rattled the former champ near the bell. Yet Bey, 36, put up a good showing, having been strangely inactive in recent years.

Kambosos moved to 18-0 (10 KO) and stamped himself as a rising star of the lightweight division - with a title shot potentially coming in his next fight.

IBF title holder Richard Commey face Teofimo Lopez on the same card, while Kambosos has also been touted for a potential stadium fight in Australia against lightweight megastar Vasiliy Lomachenko, who holds the WBO and WBA belts.

Before the fight, Kambosos told Wide World of Sports that his desire to become world champion was growing with each win. He declared that he was Australian's best athlete.

"The desire has definitely grown," said Kambosos, who won his second fight under new Miami-based head trainer Javiel Centeno by beating Bey.

"A lot of athletes get to a certain point, big arenas, the fame and publicity gets to their head. They start to drop off and make little mistakes.

"I'm the total opposite. The more successful I get, the hungrier I get, the more motivated I get, because I know I'm so close to achieving that dream.

"I know when I achieve that dream and become a world champion, it's not just going to be like, 'He was a world champion and really didn't do anything after that'.

"I'm a very stubborn athlete. I will defend that belt like it's my little baby. I will capture that world title in early 2020. And it I win that world title, my first step is coming straight back to Australia (to defend).

"I'm very, very convinced that I'm the best athlete in Australia. Nothing's changed. I'm out here doing my thing."