Devin Haney sees fight with Jorge Linares on Saturday as “my time to shine.”
Every star in boxing has his coming out party. Devin Haney believes this is his.
The gifted 22-year-old, who owns the WBC’s secondary lightweight title, will face arguably the biggest test of his career when he tangles with veteran Jorge Linares on Saturday at Micelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas (DAZN).
Linares, 35, probably is beyond his peak but he the former three-division titleholder remains formidable.
“This is the time I’ve been waiting for; this is the moment and my time to finally shine against an incredible opponent and thinks he can put up a good fight and win against me. This is a huge opportunity for me, this is time to show everything I’m made of.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxEW-z7kBHU
Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) was recognized as the sport’s youngest champion at 20 when the WBC elevated him to full titleholder after elevating Vasiliy Lomachenko to “franchise” champion late in 2019.
And he has some notable victories, including a near-shutout decision over then-38-year-old Yuriorkis Gamboa this past November.
Linares (47-5, 29 KOs) certainly is a step up from Gamboa, at least on paper. The Japan-based Venezuelan, an excellent technician, fought Lomachenko on even terms before he was stopped in the 10th round in May 2018.
He was stopped in one round by Pablo Cesar Cano eight months later but that bout was fought at 140 pounds, after which he moved back down in weight and has won twice.
Linares is about an 8-1 underdog against Haney, which is a wide margin. Still, a victory over a proven commodity like Linares would be another step toward the stardom that Haney envisions for himself.
“Like Jorge said, this is a whole new level but I’m ready for it,” Haney said. “It’ll be a very dominant performance. I think the world will be surprised at what kind of performance it is. I think even Jorge will be surprised at what type of fighter I am.”
Bill Haney, the fighter’s father and trainer, echoed his son’s comments.
“These are the kind of fights that bring out the best in a fighter,” he elder Haney said. “A young fighter like Devin with so much in his toolbox, [an] arsenal full of different kinds of punches. It’s just a great opportunity.
“We want Jorge to come at his best and bring out those things so we can showcase to the people what a wonderful talent he is.”
And then, if he’s victorious, he would move on to the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Lomachenko.
Devin Haney sees fight with Jorge Linares on Saturday as “my time to shine.”
Every star in boxing has his coming out party. Devin Haney believes this is his.
The gifted 22-year-old, who owns the WBC’s secondary lightweight title, will face arguably the biggest test of his career when he tangles with veteran Jorge Linares on Saturday at Micelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas (DAZN).
Linares, 35, probably is beyond his peak but he the former three-division titleholder remains formidable.
“This is the time I’ve been waiting for; this is the moment and my time to finally shine against an incredible opponent and thinks he can put up a good fight and win against me. This is a huge opportunity for me, this is time to show everything I’m made of.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxEW-z7kBHU
Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) was recognized as the sport’s youngest champion at 20 when the WBC elevated him to full titleholder after elevating Vasiliy Lomachenko to “franchise” champion late in 2019.
And he has some notable victories, including a near-shutout decision over then-38-year-old Yuriorkis Gamboa this past November.
Linares (47-5, 29 KOs) certainly is a step up from Gamboa, at least on paper. The Japan-based Venezuelan, an excellent technician, fought Lomachenko on even terms before he was stopped in the 10th round in May 2018.
He was stopped in one round by Pablo Cesar Cano eight months later but that bout was fought at 140 pounds, after which he moved back down in weight and has won twice.
Linares is about an 8-1 underdog against Haney, which is a wide margin. Still, a victory over a proven commodity like Linares would be another step toward the stardom that Haney envisions for himself.
“Like Jorge said, this is a whole new level but I’m ready for it,” Haney said. “It’ll be a very dominant performance. I think the world will be surprised at what kind of performance it is. I think even Jorge will be surprised at what type of fighter I am.”
Bill Haney, the fighter’s father and trainer, echoed his son’s comments.
“These are the kind of fights that bring out the best in a fighter,” he elder Haney said. “A young fighter like Devin with so much in his toolbox, [an] arsenal full of different kinds of punches. It’s just a great opportunity.
“We want Jorge to come at his best and bring out those things so we can showcase to the people what a wonderful talent he is.”
And then, if he’s victorious, he would move on to the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia and Lomachenko.
Here is your guide for the title fight between Terence Crawford and Kell Brook on Saturday in Las Vegas.
TERENCE CRAWFORD
VS. KELL BROOK
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT THE BIG FIGHT
When: Saturday, Nov. 14
Start time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN
Division: Welterweight (12 rounds)
At stake: Crawford’s WBO title
Odds: Crawford 7½-1 (BetMGM)
***
TERENCE CRAWFORD BIO
Terence Crawford has stopped each of his last seven opponents. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Record: 36-0, 27 KOs
Current titles: WBO welterweight (2018-)
Other titles: WBO lightweight (2014-15); WBO junior welterweight (2015-17); WBC junior welterweight (2016-18); IBF and WBA junior welterweight (2017)
Home country: United States (Omaha, Neb.)
Age: 33
Pro debut: 2008
Pro rounds: 204
Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (173 cm)
Reach: 74 inches (188 cm)
Stance: Southpaw
Trainer: Brian McIntyre
***
BROOK BIO
Kell Brook can change the trajectory of his career with a victory over Crawford. George Wood / Getty Images
Record: 39-2, 27 KOs
Current titles: None
Other titles: IBF welterweight (2014-17)
Home country: United Kingdom (Sheffield)
Age: 34
Pro debut: 2004
Pro rounds: 216
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches (175 cm)
Reach: 69 inches (175 cm)
Stance: Orthodox
Trainer: Carlos Formento
***
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
You should watch anytime Terence Crawford fights. The Nebraskan is one of the best fighters of his generation — he’s No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list — and he’s entertaining to boot. He’ll be in the International boxing Hall of Fame one day. Brook is not on the level of Crawford’s primary rivals, guys like Errol Spence Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, but he’s certainly no pushover. He could test Crawford if he’s on top of his game and fights the perfect fight.
***
FIVE KEY QUESTIONS
How much does Brook have left? Some. He’s no longer the fighter who beat Shawn Porter to win his title but he still has ability and experience. The problem is he’s been inactive, has to transition from 154 to 147 and won’t have longtime trainer Dominic Ingle in his corner.
Does Brook have a realistic chance to win? Yes. Crawford is a 7½-1 favorite for a reason but, again, Brook has ability and experience. And declining veterans have been known to turn back the clock.
What does a victory do for Crawford’s career? Not much. That’s the price you pay when you face an opponent who is perceived to be overmatched.
What does a victory do for Brook’s career? Everything. In one stroke, he would regain a 147-pound title and become a major player again in one of the sport’s most-lucrative divisions.
Is this Crawford’s last fight with Top Rank? Could be. His contract with the promotional company expires next year, according to reports. That would free him up to sign with any promoter he chooses.
***
WHY CRAWFORD WILL WIN
Crawford has it all — the skills, speed, power, experience and a killer instinct — and is at the peak of his abilities, as seven consecutive knockouts against contender-level opposition indicates. He hasn’t fought since he stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas in nine rounds last December but he had been consistently active before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Brook has fought once since December 2018. Crawford also is motivated. It seems the long-awaited fights against his prime rivals are around the corner. He knows he has to beat Brook first.
WHY BROOK WILL WIN
Brook has the liabilities mentioned above — his relative inactivity the past several years, an unfamiliar trainer and the fact he’ll have to come down in weight. He also might have a few advantages. He has fought more recently than Crawford, stopping Mark Deluca in February. That’s can’t hurt. And, again, he has been fighting at 154 pounds. If he can come down to 147 comfortably — without sacrificing strength or stamina — he could be considerably bigger than the champion when they step into the ring. If you combine that with his ability and experience, he has a shot.
PREDICTION
Crawford is the pound-for-pound king because he’s exceptionally good and at the top of his game. Brook arguably hasn’t won an important fight since he took a 147-pound title from Porter in 2014. He hasn’t been in an important fight since his back-to-back knockout losses against Gennadiy Golovkin (at 160 pounds) and Spence (at 147) in 2016 and 2017 No one will surprised if Crawford replicates the success of Triple-G and Spence against an older, less-effective version of Brook.
Crawford KO 9
***
ALSO ON THE CARD
Joshua Franco vs. Andrew Moloney, 12 rounds, for junior bantamweights
Joshua Greer Jr. vs. Edwin Rodriguez, 8 rounds, bantamweights
Tyler Howard vs. KeAndrae Leatherwood, 8 rounds, middleweights
Elvis Rodriguez vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior welterweights
Raymond Muratalla vs. TBA, 8 rounds, lightweights
Duke Ragan vs. TBA, 4 rounds, featherweights
Vegas Larfield vs. Juan Alberto Flores, 4 rounds, bantamweights
Here is your guide for the title fight between Terence Crawford and Kell Brook on Saturday in Las Vegas.
TERENCE CRAWFORD
VS. KELL BROOK
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO
KNOW ABOUT THE BIG FIGHT
When: Saturday, Nov. 14
Start time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN
Division: Welterweight (12 rounds)
At stake: Crawford’s WBO title
Odds: Crawford 7½-1 (BetMGM)
***
TERENCE CRAWFORD BIO
Terence Crawford has stopped each of his last seven opponents. Mikey Williams / Top Rank
Record: 36-0, 27 KOs
Current titles: WBO welterweight (2018-)
Other titles: WBO lightweight (2014-15); WBO junior welterweight (2015-17); WBC junior welterweight (2016-18); IBF and WBA junior welterweight (2017)
Home country: United States (Omaha, Neb.)
Age: 33
Pro debut: 2008
Pro rounds: 204
Height: 5 feet, 8 inches (173 cm)
Reach: 74 inches (188 cm)
Stance: Southpaw
Trainer: Brian McIntyre
***
BROOK BIO
Kell Brook can change the trajectory of his career with a victory over Crawford. George Wood / Getty Images
Record: 39-2, 27 KOs
Current titles: None
Other titles: IBF welterweight (2014-17)
Home country: United Kingdom (Sheffield)
Age: 34
Pro debut: 2004
Pro rounds: 216
Height: 5 feet, 9 inches (175 cm)
Reach: 69 inches (175 cm)
Stance: Orthodox
Trainer: Carlos Formento
***
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
You should watch anytime Terence Crawford fights. The Nebraskan is one of the best fighters of his generation — he’s No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list — and he’s entertaining to boot. He’ll be in the International boxing Hall of Fame one day. Brook is not on the level of Crawford’s primary rivals, guys like Errol Spence Jr., Manny Pacquiao, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter, but he’s certainly no pushover. He could test Crawford if he’s on top of his game and fights the perfect fight.
***
FIVE KEY QUESTIONS
How much does Brook have left? Some. He’s no longer the fighter who beat Shawn Porter to win his title but he still has ability and experience. The problem is he’s been inactive, has to transition from 154 to 147 and won’t have longtime trainer Dominic Ingle in his corner.
Does Brook have a realistic chance to win? Yes. Crawford is a 7½-1 favorite for a reason but, again, Brook has ability and experience. And declining veterans have been known to turn back the clock.
What does a victory do for Crawford’s career? Not much. That’s the price you pay when you face an opponent who is perceived to be overmatched.
What does a victory do for Brook’s career? Everything. In one stroke, he would regain a 147-pound title and become a major player again in one of the sport’s most-lucrative divisions.
Is this Crawford’s last fight with Top Rank? Could be. His contract with the promotional company expires next year, according to reports. That would free him up to sign with any promoter he chooses.
***
WHY CRAWFORD WILL WIN
Crawford has it all — the skills, speed, power, experience and a killer instinct — and is at the peak of his abilities, as seven consecutive knockouts against contender-level opposition indicates. He hasn’t fought since he stopped Egidijus Kavaliauskas in nine rounds last December but he had been consistently active before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Brook has fought once since December 2018. Crawford also is motivated. It seems the long-awaited fights against his prime rivals are around the corner. He knows he has to beat Brook first.
WHY BROOK WILL WIN
Brook has the liabilities mentioned above — his relative inactivity the past several years, an unfamiliar trainer and the fact he’ll have to come down in weight. He also might have a few advantages. He has fought more recently than Crawford, stopping Mark Deluca in February. That’s can’t hurt. And, again, he has been fighting at 154 pounds. If he can come down to 147 comfortably — without sacrificing strength or stamina — he could be considerably bigger than the champion when they step into the ring. If you combine that with his ability and experience, he has a shot.
PREDICTION
Crawford is the pound-for-pound king because he’s exceptionally good and at the top of his game. Brook arguably hasn’t won an important fight since he took a 147-pound title from Porter in 2014. He hasn’t been in an important fight since his back-to-back knockout losses against Gennadiy Golovkin (at 160 pounds) and Spence (at 147) in 2016 and 2017 No one will surprised if Crawford replicates the success of Triple-G and Spence against an older, less-effective version of Brook.
Crawford KO 9
***
ALSO ON THE CARD
Joshua Franco vs. Andrew Moloney, 12 rounds, for junior bantamweights
Joshua Greer Jr. vs. Edwin Rodriguez, 8 rounds, bantamweights
Tyler Howard vs. KeAndrae Leatherwood, 8 rounds, middleweights
Elvis Rodriguez vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior welterweights
Raymond Muratalla vs. TBA, 8 rounds, lightweights
Duke Ragan vs. TBA, 4 rounds, featherweights
Vegas Larfield vs. Juan Alberto Flores, 4 rounds, bantamweights
The separation of Canelo Alvarez from his handlers should benefit everyone involved.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The relationship between Canelo Alvarez (left) and Oscar De La Hoya apparently was too damaged to repair. Amanda Westcott / DAZN
Canelo Alvarez is a free agent. That’s good for everyone involved, most importantly the fans.
Mikey Garcia was idle for 2½ years because of promotional issues. Andre Ward missed more than a year and a half for the same reason. And Alvarez, who hasn’t fought since November of last year, was mired in a similar situation after suing Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for damages and his freedom.
The last thing we, as fans, want to see is our biggest stars spending extended time in court when they should be in the ring. They never get the lost time back.
Well, Alvarez is the beneficiary of a happy ending. We learned last week that he and his legal adversaries agreed to end their relationship, which frees him up to resume what he does best: box.
For Alvarez, who almost certainly will be his own promoter from now on, that means he can decide who, when and where he fights. He reportedly plans to return to the ring on Dec. 19, possibly against super middleweight titleholder Caleb Plant, although nothing has been announced.
If I were Alvarez, the only contracts I would sign going forward would be those for individual fights and lucrative sponsorships.
For those at Golden Boy, the separation ends a relationship that was damaged beyond repair – Alvarez had outgrown the company — and allows them to focus on building the careers of their young stars, Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, Jaime Munguia, et al.
Golden Boy and DAZN will continue to work together.
And it allows those at the streaming service to get out of what clearly was a bad deal for them. They simply couldn’t get the return on an overly ambitious investment, which left them in an impossible situation.
Now they can use the experience they gained from an unfortunate marriage and enter agreements that make more sense.
And, again, the fans are the real winners. They get to see Alvarez fight again soon.
***
BAD
Devin Haney (right) couldn’t make a statement against Yuriorkis Gamboa that was comparable to those of his rivals. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Devin Haney had tough acts to follow. Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis recently turned in two of the most-sensational performances of the year, Lopez outpointing the great Vasiliy Lomachenko to become undisputed lightweight champion and Davis knocking Leo Santa Cruz out cold.
Did Haney keep pace with his rivals on Saturday? No.
Haney’s victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa was thorough. The secondary titleholder gave the faded former Olympic champion and featherweight titleholder a boxing lesson, winning by a near-shutout on the cards. His skill set was on full display.
The problem was that he couldn’t take out his 38-year-old opponent, as he had hoped to do.
Of course, Gamboa played a role in that. He wasn’t good enough to compete with Haney but he had the wherewithal to survive. When a seasoned veteran wants to survive, it’s difficult to get him out of there.
That said, Haney DID land some big shots and it seemed none of them hurt Gamboa. That raises questions about the punching power of the winner, especially when you consider that Gamboa had gone down 11 times in his previous 10 fights.
Great fighters find ways to hurt opponents who aren’t in their class. Gamboa was an elite fighter once upon a time but those days are long behind him.
Haney looked good. He probably should’ve looked better in light of his opposition.
***
WORSE
Gervonta Davis reportedly was involved in a hit-and-run accident on Thursday. AP Photo / Julio Cortez
Gervonta Davis has a decision to make. He can follow the dark path of gifted athletes’ whose poor decisions destroyed their careers and lives or he can use his head and distance himself from the forces that will take him down if they have the opportunity.
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) was only days removed from his sensational knockout of Leo Santa Cruz on Halloween – a breakthrough victory for him – when he was involved in a hit-and-run crash in his native Baltimore, according to police.
Police say a Lamborghini SUV in which Davis was riding ran a red light and hit another vehicle — causing injuries – and then left the scene. It was clear whether he was the driver or the passenger. Surveillance video showed that the vehicle later crashed into a fence, after which the occupants walked away.
If ever there was a red flag in the life of Davis, that was it.
Of course, we must wait to see how this plays out. He might’ve been the passenger, which would limit his responsibility. He might be cleared entirely. We’ll see. However, if Davis is ultimately convicted on hit-and-run charges, all the talk of his maturation will have been hogwash and his life will have changed for the worse.
Regardless of his fate, let’s hope the incident was a wake-up call for the 26-year-old.
His future seems to be as bright as any young star. He has the ability, the punching power, the dynamism and the backing to achieve great things in the sport. It would be a shame to throw it all away because of missteps out of the ring.
That’s what those close to him will tell him in the wake of the hit-and-run. We’ll find out whether he listened.
The separation of Canelo Alvarez from his handlers should benefit everyone involved.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
The relationship between Canelo Alvarez (left) and Oscar De La Hoya apparently was too damaged to repair. Amanda Westcott / DAZN
Canelo Alvarez is a free agent. That’s good for everyone involved, most importantly the fans.
Mikey Garcia was idle for 2½ years because of promotional issues. Andre Ward missed more than a year and a half for the same reason. And Alvarez, who hasn’t fought since November of last year, was mired in a similar situation after suing Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for damages and his freedom.
The last thing we, as fans, want to see is our biggest stars spending extended time in court when they should be in the ring. They never get the lost time back.
Well, Alvarez is the beneficiary of a happy ending. We learned last week that he and his legal adversaries agreed to end their relationship, which frees him up to resume what he does best: box.
For Alvarez, who almost certainly will be his own promoter from now on, that means he can decide who, when and where he fights. He reportedly plans to return to the ring on Dec. 19, possibly against super middleweight titleholder Caleb Plant, although nothing has been announced.
If I were Alvarez, the only contracts I would sign going forward would be those for individual fights and lucrative sponsorships.
For those at Golden Boy, the separation ends a relationship that was damaged beyond repair – Alvarez had outgrown the company — and allows them to focus on building the careers of their young stars, Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, Jaime Munguia, et al.
Golden Boy and DAZN will continue to work together.
And it allows those at the streaming service to get out of what clearly was a bad deal for them. They simply couldn’t get the return on an overly ambitious investment, which left them in an impossible situation.
Now they can use the experience they gained from an unfortunate marriage and enter agreements that make more sense.
And, again, the fans are the real winners. They get to see Alvarez fight again soon.
***
BAD
Devin Haney (right) couldn’t make a statement against Yuriorkis Gamboa that was comparable to those of his rivals. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing
Devin Haney had tough acts to follow. Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis recently turned in two of the most-sensational performances of the year, Lopez outpointing the great Vasiliy Lomachenko to become undisputed lightweight champion and Davis knocking Leo Santa Cruz out cold.
Did Haney keep pace with his rivals on Saturday? No.
Haney’s victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa was thorough. The secondary titleholder gave the faded former Olympic champion and featherweight titleholder a boxing lesson, winning by a near-shutout on the cards. His skill set was on full display.
The problem was that he couldn’t take out his 38-year-old opponent, as he had hoped to do.
Of course, Gamboa played a role in that. He wasn’t good enough to compete with Haney but he had the wherewithal to survive. When a seasoned veteran wants to survive, it’s difficult to get him out of there.
That said, Haney DID land some big shots and it seemed none of them hurt Gamboa. That raises questions about the punching power of the winner, especially when you consider that Gamboa had gone down 11 times in his previous 10 fights.
Great fighters find ways to hurt opponents who aren’t in their class. Gamboa was an elite fighter once upon a time but those days are long behind him.
Haney looked good. He probably should’ve looked better in light of his opposition.
***
WORSE
Gervonta Davis reportedly was involved in a hit-and-run accident on Thursday. AP Photo / Julio Cortez
Gervonta Davis has a decision to make. He can follow the dark path of gifted athletes’ whose poor decisions destroyed their careers and lives or he can use his head and distance himself from the forces that will take him down if they have the opportunity.
Davis (24-0, 23 KOs) was only days removed from his sensational knockout of Leo Santa Cruz on Halloween – a breakthrough victory for him – when he was involved in a hit-and-run crash in his native Baltimore, according to police.
Police say a Lamborghini SUV in which Davis was riding ran a red light and hit another vehicle — causing injuries – and then left the scene. It was clear whether he was the driver or the passenger. Surveillance video showed that the vehicle later crashed into a fence, after which the occupants walked away.
If ever there was a red flag in the life of Davis, that was it.
Of course, we must wait to see how this plays out. He might’ve been the passenger, which would limit his responsibility. He might be cleared entirely. We’ll see. However, if Davis is ultimately convicted on hit-and-run charges, all the talk of his maturation will have been hogwash and his life will have changed for the worse.
Regardless of his fate, let’s hope the incident was a wake-up call for the 26-year-old.
His future seems to be as bright as any young star. He has the ability, the punching power, the dynamism and the backing to achieve great things in the sport. It would be a shame to throw it all away because of missteps out of the ring.
That’s what those close to him will tell him in the wake of the hit-and-run. We’ll find out whether he listened.
Devin Haney defeated Yuriorkis Gamboa by a wide decision in a 12-round lightweight bout Saturday in Hollywood, Fla.
Devin Haney wasn’t sensational but he was thorough.
The secondary lightweight titleholder had hoped to replicate the spectacular performances of rivals Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis but had to settle for a near-shutout decision over 38-year-old Yuriorkis Gamboa on Saturday in Hollywood, Fla.
Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) dominated his shorter, slower and older-by-17-years opponent from the beginning. He fought behind his long jab, which allowed him to pick Gamboa apart and keep him at a distance.
And on the occasions when Gamboa was able to find a way inside, he generally ran into hard, accurate counters.
That was the pattern of the fight, although there was a third element: holding. Gamboa, whose mission seemed more and more hopeless as the fight progressed, relied on tying Haney up to avoid punishment. He lost a point for holding in Round 11.
Devin Haney (right) landed more than enough power shots to win easily on the cards. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom
The only positive thing one could say about Gamboa’s performance was that none of Haney’s power shots hurt him, which might also say something about the victor’s power given that the Cuban had been down 11 times in his previous 10 fights.
The scores were 120-107, 120-107 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 119-108 for Haney.
“I thought I put on a world class performance,” Haney said. “Of course, I wanted the knockout. He’s a crafty veteran, he did a lot of holding trying to survive. It is what it is.”
The lightweight division is the hottest in the sport, in large part because of the recent performances of Lopez and Davis. Lopez outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko to win all four major 135-pound titles on Oct. 17. And Davis, who stopped Gamboa in 12 rounds last December, knocked out Leo Santa Cruz with one punch on Halloween.
Haney, who fancies himself the best lightweight, wanted to keep pace with them. Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs) just wouldn’t allow it.
Haney, poised beyond his 21 years, was in no hurry to get the stoppage. He boxed beautifully for most of the fight, content to land his jab and eye-catching shots when they presented themselves.
Haney was pleased afterward even though he was unable to stop Yuriorkis Gamboa. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom
In the later rounds, when it was clear that Gamboa had little to no chance and was slowing down, Haney picked up his pace in an attempt to deliver a memorable finish. However, when a veteran like Gamboa wants to survive, it’s difficult to get it done.
Haney was particularly aggressive in the 12th round and landed some big shots. Gamboa was just clever and resilient enough to end the fight on his feet.
“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Haney said. “I knew he’d come in and be scrappy, do anything to survive. That’s what he did. … That’s just him being a veteran, knowing how to survive, him being in a lot of fights.
“… At times I did get a little reckless. I wanted the knockout. Just with him being a crafty opponent, he knows how to survive, knows how to take big shots, knows how to hold on.”
Of course, Haney could also focus on a number of positives. He won easily, which is the primary goal. His surgically repaired right shoulder held up nicely. And he said he experienced no ring rust even though he had been out of the ring for almost exactly a year.
Now it’s on to bigger and better things, which means one of the big names in the near future – Lopez, Davis or Ryan Garcia being prime targets.
Which one does Haney want most?
“There are a lot of big fights out there,” he said, “but Teofimo Lopez is the one with the rest of the belts. That’s the one I want to make happen.”
Devin Haney defeated Yuriorkis Gamboa by a wide decision in a 12-round lightweight bout Saturday in Hollywood, Fla.
Devin Haney wasn’t sensational but he was thorough.
The secondary lightweight titleholder had hoped to replicate the spectacular performances of rivals Teofimo Lopez and Gervonta Davis but had to settle for a near-shutout decision over 38-year-old Yuriorkis Gamboa on Saturday in Hollywood, Fla.
Haney (25-0, 15 KOs) dominated his shorter, slower and older-by-17-years opponent from the beginning. He fought behind his long jab, which allowed him to pick Gamboa apart and keep him at a distance.
And on the occasions when Gamboa was able to find a way inside, he generally ran into hard, accurate counters.
That was the pattern of the fight, although there was a third element: holding. Gamboa, whose mission seemed more and more hopeless as the fight progressed, relied on tying Haney up to avoid punishment. He lost a point for holding in Round 11.
Devin Haney (right) landed more than enough power shots to win easily on the cards. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom
The only positive thing one could say about Gamboa’s performance was that none of Haney’s power shots hurt him, which might also say something about the victor’s power given that the Cuban had been down 11 times in his previous 10 fights.
The scores were 120-107, 120-107 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored it 119-108 for Haney.
“I thought I put on a world class performance,” Haney said. “Of course, I wanted the knockout. He’s a crafty veteran, he did a lot of holding trying to survive. It is what it is.”
The lightweight division is the hottest in the sport, in large part because of the recent performances of Lopez and Davis. Lopez outpointed Vasiliy Lomachenko to win all four major 135-pound titles on Oct. 17. And Davis, who stopped Gamboa in 12 rounds last December, knocked out Leo Santa Cruz with one punch on Halloween.
Haney, who fancies himself the best lightweight, wanted to keep pace with them. Gamboa (30-4, 18 KOs) just wouldn’t allow it.
Haney, poised beyond his 21 years, was in no hurry to get the stoppage. He boxed beautifully for most of the fight, content to land his jab and eye-catching shots when they presented themselves.
Haney was pleased afterward even though he was unable to stop Yuriorkis Gamboa. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom
In the later rounds, when it was clear that Gamboa had little to no chance and was slowing down, Haney picked up his pace in an attempt to deliver a memorable finish. However, when a veteran like Gamboa wants to survive, it’s difficult to get it done.
Haney was particularly aggressive in the 12th round and landed some big shots. Gamboa was just clever and resilient enough to end the fight on his feet.
“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Haney said. “I knew he’d come in and be scrappy, do anything to survive. That’s what he did. … That’s just him being a veteran, knowing how to survive, him being in a lot of fights.
“… At times I did get a little reckless. I wanted the knockout. Just with him being a crafty opponent, he knows how to survive, knows how to take big shots, knows how to hold on.”
Of course, Haney could also focus on a number of positives. He won easily, which is the primary goal. His surgically repaired right shoulder held up nicely. And he said he experienced no ring rust even though he had been out of the ring for almost exactly a year.
Now it’s on to bigger and better things, which means one of the big names in the near future – Lopez, Davis or Ryan Garcia being prime targets.
Which one does Haney want most?
“There are a lot of big fights out there,” he said, “but Teofimo Lopez is the one with the rest of the belts. That’s the one I want to make happen.”
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Brian Howard at 2:07 of Round 4 in a scheduled 10-round fight Saturday in Los Angeles.
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Brian Howard at 2:07 of Round 4 in a scheduled 10-round fight on the Luis Ortiz-Alexander Flores card Saturday in Los Angeles.
Sanchez, the former Cuban amateur, put his overmatched opponent down once in Round 3 and thrice more in Round 4.
Sanchez (16-0, 12 KOs) fought with more aggression than he had in previous fights and it paid off. He pushed the action and outworked Howard (15-4, 12 KOs) for two-plus rounds.
Then came the pain. A right uppercut followed by a left-right-left combination put Howard down in the final seconds of Round 3.
Sanchez put Howard down for the second time with a left hook early in Round 4, sent him to the canvas again with the same punch and then sent him reeling into the ropes with a flurry of punches, which prompted the ref to stop the fight.
The winner outlanded the loser 66-11 overall and 49-4 in power shots, according to CompuBox. That’s how one-sided the fight was.
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Brian Howard at 2:07 of Round 4 in a scheduled 10-round fight Saturday in Los Angeles.
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez stopped Brian Howard at 2:07 of Round 4 in a scheduled 10-round fight on the Luis Ortiz-Alexander Flores card Saturday in Los Angeles.
Sanchez, the former Cuban amateur, put his overmatched opponent down once in Round 3 and thrice more in Round 4.
Sanchez (16-0, 12 KOs) fought with more aggression than he had in previous fights and it paid off. He pushed the action and outworked Howard (15-4, 12 KOs) for two-plus rounds.
Then came the pain. A right uppercut followed by a left-right-left combination put Howard down in the final seconds of Round 3.
Sanchez put Howard down for the second time with a left hook early in Round 4, sent him to the canvas again with the same punch and then sent him reeling into the ropes with a flurry of punches, which prompted the ref to stop the fight.
The winner outlanded the loser 66-11 overall and 49-4 in power shots, according to CompuBox. That’s how one-sided the fight was.
