Unbeaten Devin Haney took a risk and it paid off, defending his undisputed lightweight world title against former three-division champion Vasiliy Lomachenko with a unanimous decision win (116-112, 115-113x 2) in Las Vegas.
Four years ago Lomachenko was a lightweight world champion and seen by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing.
Now the 30-0 Haney, with 15 knockouts, holds the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization belts.
Watch Haney v Lomachenko LIVE on Main Event available on Kayo & Foxtel, Sunday May 21 from 12pm AEST. ORDER NOW >
EARLIER: Aussie Andrew Moloney floored by brutal ‘KO of the year’
Moloney BRUTALLY ended by Nakatani | 01:10
He became the first undisputed lightweight world champion since Pernell Whitaker in 1990 with a lopsided decision over George Kambosos in Melbourne in June 2022.
Haney though had been calling for this fight against Lomachenko for four years and got quite the test against the 35-year-old, who had won three straight fights since his unanimous decision loss to Teofimo Lopez back in October 2020.
When asked if it was the end of his time in the 135-pound division after the fight, Haney said: “It’s always been tough for me to make the weight. I’ve accomplished everything at 135…. we’ll see. If it makes sense, we’ll be at 135.”
“He’s a crafty fighter, he turns it up in the championship rounds,” Haney added of Lomachenko’s performance.
“Lomachenko is a future hall of famer, it’s a blessing. He’s a future Hall of Famer, he’s my toughest opponent so far.
“It puts me in the history books forever. I beat a future Hall of Famer.”
As for Lomachenko’s reaction and whether he believed he deserved to have his hand raised, the Ukrainian was classy in the circumstances.
“I don’t want to talk about this,” he said.
“All the people see what happened today. I think I show I can be in the boxing (ring), now I’m in good shape. See you next time.”
As for when that will be, Lomachenko said he wanted to go home and support his country instead of thinking about what fight will come next.
Next up for Haney though could be Shakur Stevenson, who entered the ring after both fighters left and said he believed the Lomachenko deserved the win.
“He landed the cleaner punches, the cleaner shots. He pushed the pace,” Stevenson said.
“Let’s make it happen … Devin’s not on my level and I’mma show it.”
Haney started the fight as expected, working to establish his signature jab, while Lomachenko closed the round the stronger of the two with a flurry of punches after landing a right hand.
It was a closely contested opening round that could have gone to either fighter while the second likely leaned in Haney’s favour as he countered well in between Lomachenko’s punches.
The fight was really proving the chess match that was advertised as the third round passed and yet again there was little to split Haney and Lomachenko.
On this occasion, Haney continued to really work towards the body before Lomachenko started to find his range in the final minute and land some solid punches.
“Both men are hitting each other more than each usually gets hit in fights,” Chris Algieri said in commentary.
“Lomachenko looks like he has dug deep as is really prepared for this fight.”
Haney, once again, kept putting in the work to the body in the fourth round while also doing well to adjust off the back foot and land a few hooks as Lomachenko tried to work his way inside.
Lomachenko was able to break through a few times and land some shots, including a short hook near the end of the round, but for the most part it was Haney who was able to establish the jab to keep him on the outside.
The 35-year-old Lomachenko had one of his best moments of the fight in the fifth as he hit Haney with a strong straight left, briefly leaving his rival stunned.
Haney though once again recovered by working to the body and going back to his jab in a fast-paced fight that was proving particularly tricky to score.
Moloney completes world title dream | 01:24
The American found plenty of success in the sixth with constant hard right hands to the body, mixing in the occasional shot upstairs but Lomachenko was still firing back a few decent combinations of his own.
Algieir described the body shot as the “most consistent and effective weapon” for both fighters, which he said was a “surprise” particularly for Haney.
It was much of the same in the seventh as Lomachenko landed more upstairs while Haney continued to deliver downstairs, although he landed a flush counter left hook later in the round.
With the incredible pace the fight was being contested at, it was starting to seem like the result may come down to who was the better conditioned fighter of the two.
While naturally you would think the 35-year-old Lomachenko would be the first to falter, he ended up pouring it on after a big combination to cap off his best round of the fight.
“That was the most definitive round Lomachenko had all night long but even that was a close one,” Algieir said.
Both fighters entered the 11th round knowing the result was far from already determined and it was Lomachenko’s willpower that started to really shine through.
Lomachenko started to let his hands go and nailed Haney with a right hand to kick off the round and put the champion on the ropes immediately.
The fight would end up going the distance and to the judges’ scorecard, setting up immediate intrigue given just how difficult it had been to crown a clear winner in between the rounds.
In the end, it was Haney who ended up having his hand raised.
Re-live the fight below! Can’t see the blog? Click here!