Tag: devin haney

Junkie Drawer: Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia set for NYC; Juan Estrada, Bam Rodriguez in talks

Junkie Drawer: Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia is set to take place on April 20 in New York. Also, Juan Estrada and Bam Rodriguez are in talks.

Devin Haney is now scheduled to defend his 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, promoter Oscar De La Hoya said.

The high-profile matchup, announced on Feb. 9, had been expected to take place in Las Vegas.

Two news conferences to promote the event reportedly our set for Feb. 27 and 29 Palladium Times Square in New York and Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, respectively. The events will be open to the public.

The fight will be available on pay-per-view.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) won his belt by shutting out Regis Prograis in December. Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) also last fought in December, when he stopped Oscar Duarte in eight rounds.

***

Juan Francisco Rodriguez, a 115-pound titleholder, and 112-pound champ Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez reportedly are in talks for a showdown this summer.

“They tell me that things are progressing well for a possible battle between Juan Francisco ‘Gallo’ Estrada and Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez in June-July. [Promoter Eddie Hearn] told us that he would look for (it) for the summer in Phoenix,” ESPN’s Salvador Rodriguez said in Spanish on X.

Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs) hasn’t fought since he defeated Roman Gonzalez by a majority decision in their third fight in December 2022.

Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs) is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of then-unbeaten Sunny Edwards last December. He would be moving up in weight to challenge Estrada but he previously held a 115-pound title.

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Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his position after dud?

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?

Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.

To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.

So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?

He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.

We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

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Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his position after dud?

Pound-for-pound: Does Teofimo Lopez hold his Honorable Mention position after a subpar performance against Jamaine Ortiz?

Teofimo Lopez didn’t look like a pound-for-pounder in his unanimous decision victory over Jamaine Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas.

The physically gifted 140-pound titleholder did enough to win but spent the entire fight chasing his elusive opponent but rarely catching him, which made for a relatively weak performance and a lousy fight.

To be fair, as I wrote earlier in Weekend Review, it’s difficult to corral a foe who refuses to engage, particularly if they’re as quick and capable as Ortiz. However, special fighters find a way. And Lopez didn’t.

So where does that leave the Honorable Mention on our pound-for-pound list?

He’s getting a pass this time, meaning he’ll stay where he was for the time being. After all, he won the fight. And, again, Ortiz’s strategy was a contributing factor in his subpar performance.

We’re watching, however, He can’t continue to look good in one fight and so-so in the next, which has been his pattern the past few years. If he is ever going to move toward the top of this list, he’s going to have to demonstrate consistency.

Next pound-for-pounder up: No. 10 Devin Haney is scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 on pay-per-view from Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – Scheduled to defend his undisputed 122-pound championship against Luis Nery on May 6 in Japan.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol – Scheduled to face No. 12 Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez – No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on May 18 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– Scheduled to defend his WBC 140-pound title against Ryan Garcia on April 20 in Las Vegas.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – Scheduled to face No. 4 Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed 175-pound championship on June 1 in Saudi Arabia.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Scheduled to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (no fight scheduled).

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Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas

Another major boxing fight is on the 2024 calendar as Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia has been booked.

[autotag]Devin Haney[/autotag] reportedly has agreed to his biggest fight yet.

The unbeaten 140-pound titleholder will face [autotag]Ryan Garcia[/autotag] in a pay-per-view battle of 25-year-old stars on April 20 from Las Vegas, according to multiple reports.

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is still rebuilding after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last year but he and Davis have the biggest social media followings in the sport, which makes Haney’s first defense a major event.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and Garcia reportedly split six fights as amateurs but the champion has had more success as a professional.

He’s one of the hottest fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over George Kambosos Jr. (twice), Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis over the past year and a half.

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Haney won and successfully defended the undisputed 135-pound championship against Kambosos, narrowly outpointed Lomachenko at 135 and then took Prograis’ title by a shutout decision in his debut as a full-fledged junior welterweight.

He climbed to No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound after the Prograis victory.

Davis put a stop to Garcia’s momentum last April, stopping the Los Angeles-area fighter with a body punch in the seventh round. The loser had moved down from 140 for the big-money opportunity.

Garcia rebounded with an eighth-round stoppage over Oscar Duarte in December, which set up the matchup with Haney.

Garcia had been in talks to face beltholder Rolando Romero but those negotiations broke down and Romero opted to defend against Isaac Cruz, which opened the door to the Haney-Garcia fight.

This story initially appeared on Boxing Junkie, an online property of the USA Today Sports network.

Reports: Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas

Reports: 140-pound champ Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia have agreed to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas.

Devin Haney reportedly has agreed to his biggest fight yet.

The unbeaten 140-pound titleholder will face Ryan Garcia in a pay-per-view battle of 25-year-old stars on April 20 from Las Vegas, according to multiple reports.

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is still rebuilding after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last year but he and Davis have the biggest social media followings in the sport, which makes Haney’s first defense a major event.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and Garcia reportedly split six fights as amateurs but the champion has had more success as a professional.

He’s one of the hottest fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over George Kambosos Jr. (twice), Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis over the past year and a half.

Haney won and successfully defended the undisputed 135-pound championship against Kambosos, narrowly outpointed Lomachenko at 135 and then took Prograis’ title by a shutout decision in his debut as a full-fledged junior welterweight.

He climbed to No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound after the Prograis victory.

Davis put a stop to Garcia’s momentum last April, stopping the Los Angeles-area fighter with a body punch in the seventh round. The loser had moved down from 140 for the big-money opportunity.

Garcia rebounded with an eighth-round stoppage over Oscar Duarte in December, which set up the matchup with Haney.

Garcia had been in talks to face beltholder Rolando Romero but those negotiations broke down and Romero opted to defend against Isaac Cruz, which opened the door to the Haney-Garcia fight.

[lawrence-related id=40057,40041,40037,39998,39964,39959,39956]

Reports: Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas

Reports: 140-pound champ Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia have agreed to meet on April 20 in Las Vegas.

Devin Haney reportedly has agreed to his biggest fight yet.

The unbeaten 140-pound titleholder will face Ryan Garcia in a pay-per-view battle of 25-year-old stars on April 20 from Las Vegas, according to multiple reports.

Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) is still rebuilding after a knockout loss to Gervonta Davis last year but he and Davis have the biggest social media followings in the sport, which makes Haney’s first defense a major event.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and Garcia reportedly split six fights as amateurs but the champion has had more success as a professional.

He’s one of the hottest fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over George Kambosos Jr. (twice), Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis over the past year and a half.

Haney won and successfully defended the undisputed 135-pound championship against Kambosos, narrowly outpointed Lomachenko at 135 and then took Prograis’ title by a shutout decision in his debut as a full-fledged junior welterweight.

He climbed to No. 10 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound after the Prograis victory.

Davis put a stop to Garcia’s momentum last April, stopping the Los Angeles-area fighter with a body punch in the seventh round. The loser had moved down from 140 for the big-money opportunity.

Garcia rebounded with an eighth-round stoppage over Oscar Duarte in December, which set up the matchup with Haney.

Garcia had been in talks to face beltholder Rolando Romero but those negotiations broke down and Romero opted to defend against Isaac Cruz, which opened the door to the Haney-Garcia fight.

[lawrence-related id=40057,40041,40037,39998,39964,39959,39956]

Vasiliy Lomachenko poised to reclaim another world title vs. George Kambosos Jr.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will have the opportunity to reclaim another world title when he faces George Kambosos Jr. on May 12.

Vasiliy Lomachenko is considered one of the best boxers in the world but he has lost his last two world title fights, decisions against Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and Devin Haney last May.

The Ukrainian star gets another opportunity to get it right this coming May 12. And most observers – including the oddsmakers – believe this is his best chance to have another major belt wrapped around his waist.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is scheduled to face former champ George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for one of the 135-pound titles Haney vacated (the IBF version) on that date in Perth, Australia, Kambosos’ home country.

Kambosos made a splash when he upset Lopez to become undisputed champion but that was followed by two one-sided decision losses to Haney in 2022 and a controversial majority decision nod over Maxi Hughes last July.

Lomachenko is about a 5½-1 favorite to beat Kambosos.

“I’m very happy to come back,” Lomachenko said during a virtual news conference Tuesday evening. “I’m very happy to be fighting there. This is the right fight because it’s a chance to be a world champion again.”

Lomachenko’s title-fight losses were bitter disappointments for him.

He lost his undisputed championship and position atop some pound-for-pound lists when he was upset by Lopez, who had to survive a fierce rally from Lomachenko to have his hand raised.

Lomachenko, who fought with an injured shoulder, insisted he did enough to win the fight but he was in the minority.

He then won three fights, over Masayoshi Nakatani, Richard Commey and Jamaine Ortiz, to earn a shot at Haney. Lomachenko gave a strong performance but he came up short again.

He did make a statement, however: He clearly remains a formidable technician, one who appears to be a threat to anyone even though he will turn 36 next month.

Kambosos understands the challenge he faces.

“I never step away from a challenge,” he said. “I always want to fight the best. And Vasiliy Lomachenko is a guy we have looked at for a very long time. This guy is a legend. The respect we have for him is huge.

“So to have this [fight] official now is extraordinary. I’m very motivated for this fight. I’m very excited, and I can’t wait.”

Of course, he has reason to be excited. As he put it, “This fight rejuvenates my career. This gives me my redemption.”

However, Lomachenko is the main focus on this show, the once-great fighter – possibly still great fighter – poised to claim the title “world champion” for a fourth time.

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Vasiliy Lomachenko poised to reclaim another world title vs. George Kambosos Jr.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will have the opportunity to reclaim another world title when he faces George Kambosos Jr. on May 12.

Vasiliy Lomachenko is considered one of the best boxers in the world but he has lost his last two world title fights, decisions against Teofimo Lopez in 2020 and Devin Haney last May.

The Ukrainian star gets another opportunity to get it right this coming May 12. And most observers – including the oddsmakers – believe this is his best chance to have another major belt wrapped around his waist.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) is scheduled to face former champ George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for one of the 135-pound titles Haney vacated (the IBF version) on that date in Perth, Australia, Kambosos’ home country.

Kambosos made a splash when he upset Lopez to become undisputed champion but that was followed by two one-sided decision losses to Haney in 2022 and a controversial majority decision nod over Maxi Hughes last July.

Lomachenko is about a 5½-1 favorite to beat Kambosos.

“I’m very happy to come back,” Lomachenko said during a virtual news conference Tuesday evening. “I’m very happy to be fighting there. This is the right fight because it’s a chance to be a world champion again.”

Lomachenko’s title-fight losses were bitter disappointments for him.

He lost his undisputed championship and position atop some pound-for-pound lists when he was upset by Lopez, who had to survive a fierce rally from Lomachenko to have his hand raised.

Lomachenko, who fought with an injured shoulder, insisted he did enough to win the fight but he was in the minority.

He then won three fights, over Masayoshi Nakatani, Richard Commey and Jamaine Ortiz, to earn a shot at Haney. Lomachenko gave a strong performance but he came up short again.

He did make a statement, however: He clearly remains a formidable technician, one who appears to be a threat to anyone even though he will turn 36 next month.

Kambosos understands the challenge he faces.

“I never step away from a challenge,” he said. “I always want to fight the best. And Vasiliy Lomachenko is a guy we have looked at for a very long time. This guy is a legend. The respect we have for him is huge.

“So to have this [fight] official now is extraordinary. I’m very motivated for this fight. I’m very excited, and I can’t wait.”

Of course, he has reason to be excited. As he put it, “This fight rejuvenates my career. This gives me my redemption.”

However, Lomachenko is the main focus on this show, the once-great fighter – possibly still great fighter – poised to claim the title “world champion” for a fourth time.

[lawrence-related id=37522,37504,37470,37466]

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

[lawrence-related id=40466,40446,40442]

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating victory?

Pound-for-pound: Where does Artur Beterbiev land after his dominating knockout victory over Callum Smith?

Artur Beterbiev demonstrated in his impressive seventh-round stoppage of Callum Smith on Jan. 13 that he’s at the peak of his abilities as he approaches his 39th birthday.

The 175-pound champion now has 20 knockouts in as many fights.

Where does his latest victory leave him on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list?

Beterbiev entered the fight at No. 14, below Nos. 12 and 13 Errol Spence Jr. and Vasiliy Lomachenko, both of whom are coming off losses in their most recent fights.

Thus, Beterbiev jumps up two spots to No. 12, directly below No. 11 Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, who is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Sunny Edwards last month.

Of course, Beterbiev’s place on the list is tenuous: He and No. 4 Dmitry Bivol have reportedly agreed to meet for the undisputed 175-pound championship in late spring or summer, which would be the toughest matchup of Beterbiev’s career.

Spence (now No. 13) has no fight scheduled. Lomachenko (No. 14) reportedly will face George Kambosos Jr. for a vacant 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia, which would give the Ukrainian a chance to move back up the list.

Next pound-for-pounder up: Honorable Mention Teofimo Lopez is scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas.

Here’s what the list looks like at the moment:

BOXING JUNKIE
POUND-FOR-POUND

  1. Terence Crawford – No fight scheduled.
  2. Naoya Inoue – No fight scheduled.
  3. Oleksandr Usyk – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 9 Tyson Fury for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  4. Dmitry Bivol– No fight scheduled.
  5. Juan Francisco Estrada – No fight scheduled.
  6. Canelo Alvarez– No fight scheduled.
  7. Jermell Charlo – No fight scheduled.
  8. Gervonta Davis – No fight scheduled.
  9. Tyson Fury – Scheduled to face fellow titleholder and No. 3 Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship on Feb. 17 in Saudi Arabia.
  10. Devin Haney– No fight scheduled.
  11. Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – No fight scheduled.
  12. Artur Beterbiev – No fight scheduled.
  13. Errol Spence Jr. – No fight scheduled.
  14. Vasiliy Lomachenko – Reportedly set to face George Kambosos Jr. for the vacant IBF 135-pound title May 12 in Australia, although no formal announcement has been made.
  15. Shakur Stevenson– No fight scheduled.

Honorable mention (alphabetical order): David Benavidez (no fight scheduled); Jermall Charlo (no fight scheduled); Roman Gonzalez (no fight scheduled); Kazuto Ioka (no fight scheduled); Teofimo Lopez (scheduled to defend his WBO 140-pound title against Jamaine Ortiz on Feb. 8 in Las Vegas).

[lawrence-related id=40466,40446,40442]