On paper, Devin Haney’s recent showdown against Vasiliy Lomachenko had all the makings of a can’t miss fight. The skills between them were clear as day but the animosity, at least prior to their weigh-in, was missing. But, as the two stood shirtless across one another after making the lightweight limit of 135 pounds, Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) shoved the Ukrainian halfway across the stage. From there, Regis Prograis was sold.
On May 20th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, the two officially squared off. At times, Haney boxed smoothly, remained on the outside, and gladly greeted the former two-time Olympic gold medalist with straight right hands to the body. However, Lomachenko eventually figured out his man and appeared to finish strong.
At the sound of the final bell, Prograis rose from his couch and applauded Lomachenko from his palatial estate. Fully convinced that the judges would make the right call, Prograis’s jaw hit the ground when the winner was eventually revealed.
“Honestly, I thought Loma won the fight,” said Prograis to BoxingScene.com during a recent interview. “It wasn’t a robbery but it was a close fight but I felt like Loma did win that fight.”
To a large extent, Prograis’s sentiments have been shared by countless prognosticators and fans. Yet, even with the 24-year-old being lambasted left and right, Haney seems content with how the night played out. Now, the current undisputed champion will ponder his next move.
Considering his persistent weight issues, Haney has stated that he would only be willing to remain at 135 pounds if showdowns against either Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson can become a reality. If negotiations with either man fail, Haney revealed that his next preference would be to move up in weight and immediately challenge Prograis for his WBC title.
His brazen challenge, of course, is one that Prograis has no issue with. However, from his point of view, Haney should entertain an immediate sequel against Lomachenko to clear up any confusion.
“Yes,” said Prograis when asked if Haney should grant Lomachenko another chance. “For legacy wise, that’s gonna be an asterisk on your resume. When it’s a close fight like that you should definitely run it back.”