BOXING
Who should Devin Haney fight next?
The American retained all the lightweight belts by winning a controversial unanimous decision over Vasiliy Lomachenko last Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Devin Haney successfully passed his biggest test to date last weekend. The Dream defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko in a close points win in a fight where many saw the Ukrainian being the superior boxer.
Haney, 11 years younger than his opponent, showed a great display of footwork and body punches, while the two-time Olympic gold medalist proved he’s still a top fighter, with his speed, punching accuracy, and movement.
There was a lot at stake for both men going into the fight, one of the most-anticipated ones this year. Haney’s four belts were on the line, while his undefeated status was also at risk facing such a high-quality opponent.
As for Lomachenko, the former world champion had the chance to accomplish one of his biggest dreams, become an undisputed champion for the first time in his career.
In the end, Haney got his hand risen and with this victory, he has the right to decide who he wants to fight next among several names.
Davis and Stevenson, the ‘dream fights’
The 24-year-old Haney may take some time to decide which steps to follow. After the fight, the San Francisco native (30-0, 15 KOs) said he wasn’t sure whether he’d go up to 140 or stay at 135, which will determine who his next rival will be.
He said that if he decides to stay at lightweight, his goal will be fighting Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson, which are considered, by far, the two most attractive fights for the American.
It will be, difficult, though, that Devin decides to fight any of the two stars next. He may prefer an easier fight after his controversial win over Lomachenko, who exposed Haney as no other fighter had ever done in his professional career.
A rematch with the future Hall of Famer should be considered as an option too. Although Haney might prefer other possibilities, Lomachenko did more than enough to deserve a second shot at the titles. Moreover, in case both men met again inside the ring, it would likely be a PPV success, given their performance level and how close the bout was.
Ryan Garcia could also be an exciting fight and it would probably deliver in terms of money and attention, as KingRy is one of the most talented fighters in the category and has lots of charisma, despite his recent defeat to Davis.
Rolly Romero is another name if Haney decides to move up in weight, as he’s seen as a more beatable fighter than Davis and Stevenson and would give Haney the possibility of grabbing Romero’s WBA light welterweight belt.
Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez, who are scheduled to fight in June, are also a possibility for The Dream. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum revealed that he would like Haney to fight the winner of that fight.