Once overlooked, the lightweight division has morphed into one of the most exciting weight classes around. In the previous and coming weeks, the talent-riched division placed its top guns on display.
To kick things off, Shakur Stevenson successfully abandoned his super featherweight throne and headed for greener pastures. On April 8th, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the former Olympic silver medalist made it look incredibly easy against Shuichiro Yoshino, stopping his man in the sixth round.
Similarly, just a few weeks later, Gervonta Davis took care of business against Ryan Garcia, sending him crashing down to the canvas in the seventh frame of their pay-per-view main event.
William Zepeda, another up-and-coming lightweight, extended his undefeated record to 28-0 following a second-round stoppage win over Jaime Arboleda. But while most in boxing circles have made sure that they don’t miss a single second of lightweight action, Devin Haney, the division’s reigning undisputed champion, hasn’t taken the time to scope out his competition.
“I don’t care to watch any of the guys in the lightweight division,” said Haney recently.
Soon enough, the eyes of the boxing world will be fixated upon the 24-year-old champion. On May 20th, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) will look to turn back Vasiliy Lomachenko. Currently pegged as a sizable favorite, Haney’s size and youth advantages are expected to be too much for Lomachenko to bear.
Should he unambiguously push the Ukrainian out of his way, Haney is well aware that he’ll have a long list of challengers awaiting him. But, despite his four world titles presenting a beacon to his enemies and regardless of his competition hurling innocuous threats in his direction, Haney has no issues with reminding his foes that until he’s knocked off his high horse, he remains the division’s top dog.
“I don’t care to focus on them because they gotta go through me. I hold the keys to the lightweight division.”