On May 29th, WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney scored a successful defense of his title title over grizzled veteran Jorge Linares.
It was the kind of fight that the sport had been asking of Haney, who had yet to face the kind of opponents we had wanted him to see up to that point. Linares was gritty and very game, and helped give us some much-needed answers about Haney.
Haney dominated several rounds early on as he used his jab and skills to pile up points. Haney also had to overcame a scare in round 10, as he was hit with a right hand that made him buckle just before the end of the bell.
Haney took the shot and eventually recovered.
Haney’s rival, undefeated contender Ryan Garcia, has continue to go back-and-forth with him. Garcia even questioned Haney‘s performance against Linares, who he felt he would stop if he had faced him.
Hearing word of Garcia’s talk, Haney’s father Bill gave his thoughts.
“Yeah, but he didn’t,” Haney said. “He didn’t want to fight him, right? Linares called out Garcia time and time again, right, and he wouldn’t accept him, accept the fight. They’re both Golden Boy stablemates so, you know what I mean, I think Ryan, he has a lot of bitch in him. For a guy that’s saying that he’s suffering from some kind of mental health, I really think it’s something that his parents didn’t instill in him. He just has a lot of bitch in him. His dad talks just like him and they both resemble each other.”
You also have to wonder about the possibility of Haney facing off with unified champion Teofimo Lopez. The two fighters have been going back-and-forth on social media for quite some time.
Lopez scored a huge victory over Vasyl Lomachenko last year, and next faces unbeaten George Kambosos in June 19th in Miami.
“If Teofimo handles his business with Kambosos, we already handled ours so we’re available. We’re available right now so we can talk our shit,” Haney said.
Haney believed that his son had the better overall skill set as well. Lopez is known for his power, but Haney isn’t as impressed with his skill.
“Well it’s some of the things you’ve never seen Teo do or have. You know that he has that big right hand but I mean he doesn’t have the inside game and he doesn’t have a jab and he just doesn’t have the skill set that Devin has. So we answered some questions about what happens when Devin gets hit with a right hand, that big right hand that Teofimo has, so we don’t plan to get hit with it but we’re able to withstand and fight through adversity.”
It’s natural to expect this kind of talk to come after such a performance from Haney. The young champion looked really solid in the ring, but surely he still has his detractors too.
