Too young, too green, not enough experience, in over his head. For the most part, Devin Haney ignored his long line of detractors. With the former amateur standout determined to face the very best that the lightweight division had to offer, he effortlessly mowed down his competition.
As the wins continued to stack up, Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) found himself on the doorstep of Vasiliy Lomachenko. Pegged as his WBC mandatory challenger in 2019, Haney foamed at the mouth as he desperately attempted to lure the Ukrainian into the ring.
However, despite his booming wishes, Lomachenko requested to become a franchise champion, something that the WBC sanctioning body would later agree upon.
Fast forward just a few years later and Haney now reigns supreme as the division’s lone undisputed champion.
Lomachenko, anxious to usurp Haney, is now attempting to hammer out a deal that would see the two face off. After watching the incredibly talented 24-year-old take care of business against George Kambosos Jr. in consecutive bouts, coupled with his evolving overall skills, Lomachenko is convinced that Haney has now become one of the best fighters around.
“He’s a top fighter,” said Lomachenko to ESNEWS. “Now, he’s one of the best boxers pound for pound in the world in our weight classes.”
At the newly turned age of 35, Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) recently ended his time on the sidelines and returned to the winner’s circle. On October 29th, at the Hulu Theater in New York’s Madison Square Garden, Lomachenko boxed his way to a unanimous decision victory over highly ranked contender, Jamaine Ortiz.
Soon after having his hand raised in victory, Haney sauntered into the ring. As the two began to exchange words, Bob Arum, their promoter, revealed that the pair will ultimately face off later this year. Although negotiations have stalled at times, both sides appear hell-bent on completing their deal.
When asked how he expects their showdown to play out, Lomachenko smiled broadly before giving a succinct answer.
“It will be a great matchup.”