Devin Haney: Gamboa fight is a done deal, I can hurt him

By Boxing News - 09/30/2020 - Comments

By Chris Williams: Devin Haney says his fight against Yuriorkis Gamboa is a “done deal” for November 7th, and he’s confident that he can ‘hurt him” with hands. Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) says it’ll be “beautiful” to send the 38-year-old Gamboa (30-3, 18 KOs) into retirement.

Although Haney, 21, has nothing bad to say about the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and former IBF/WBA featherweight champion Gamboa, he still wants to knock him out and send him into retirement.

WBC lightweight champion Haney’s promoters at Matchroom Boxing opted to go in the direction of Gamboa rather than Gary Russell Jr, who sent an offer sheet that he felt was bogus and filled with stuff that needed to be changed.

Last week, Russell Jr (31-1, 18 KOs) said he set a deadline for Haney’s team to respond. However, it looks like they already made up their mind to give the fight to Gamboa.

Devin is in a no-win situation in defending his WBC belt against Gamboa because of these reasons:

  • Gamboa suffering an Achilles injury in last fight with Tank Davis
  • Cuban talent coming off knock out loss last December
  • The old age of Gamboa [38]

Image: Devin Haney: Gamboa fight is a done deal, I can hurt him

Gamboa will come in with confidence

“I prepare for all of my opponents just the same. Training camp is training camp,” said Haney to Fighthype on his next fight against Gamboa. “I’m preparing for whatever fighter shows up that night.

“You can study a fighter all throughout training camp, and then a different fighter shows up on the night of the fight. I’ve been watching Gamboa since I was a little kid. I’ve been watching Gamboa for a long time, and I know what to expect.

“I remember the Rogers Mtagwa [fight with Gamboa]. A long time ago, we watched the Crawford, and I picked Gamboa to beat Crawford. I didn’t know Crawford. And I was rooting for Gamboa. I thought Gamboa was going to win.

I think he’s going to come in with a lot of confidence,” Haney said about Gamboa. “He’s got the experience. He’s been in there with a lot of world champions. I think he’s been in there with guys bigger than me now like Crawford,” said Haney.

It’s hard to say for any certainty that Gamboa will be coming into the fight with Haney confident. Haney is guessing about that. But what is certain is that Gamboa is going to be trying to take Haney’s head off on November 7th, and he’s not going to be trying to box him.

But even at 38, Gamboa is still faster and more potent than Haney, which shows you how physically gifted he is. Haney isn’t a puncher, and his hand speed is average. He’s not another Floyd Mayweather Jr in the hand speed department, and he never will be.

The main advantage that Haney has besides youth is his size. He’s a natural lightweight, and he’s much more significant than Gamboa. In contrast, Gamboa started his career at featherweight, and that’s his natural weight class.

YouTube video

Haney: I can hurt him

“No, I feel like I’m the fastest,” Haney said when asked if he thinks Gamboa can keep up with his hand speed. I feel like I’m the fastest in boxing. I know he’s going to come in with a lot of confidence.

“He’s been there and done that. That’s why it’s my job to show him that I’m a different breed. I’m a different fighter. You might have had success with them, but me, I’m a different breed. A knockout would be beautiful.

“I’m going to go in there and do my job. Hopefully, a knockout comes, but if not, we shall see. I think I can hurt him with my right hand, uppercuts. I think I can hurt him for sure.

“We just got to see. Styles make fights. I’m happy the fight is a done deal—November 7th. Now I can go all the way in with confidence that I know the day is November 7th. Train hard.

“We want to put on a great show for the fans. If we bring our A-games, we’re going to please the fans. I got respect for Gamboa. He watched me train a lot of times, coming up. He showed nothing but respect,” said Haney.

Devin can hurt Gamboa through landing an accumulation of blows, but he’s not going to come out and hurt him with one shot on November 7th. Haney doesn’t have power like Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis or Ryan Garcia. But he can hurt Gamboa, especially with him coming off of a knockout loss to Tank.

Gamboa has never had a great chin, to begin with, and he’s been put down several times during his career. When he was younger, his offense was his defense, which helped him disguise a weak chin.

YouTube video

But now that Gamboa is older and fighting two divisions above his natural weight class at 135, he’s more susceptible to getting hurt.

Gamboa knows I’m a monster – Devin

“When I was coming up, I idolized him. He’s always been respectful and kind. On November 7th, we’ll put on a great fight for the fans. Probably,” said Haney when asked if Gamboa was a young fighter, would he be trash-talking him.

“I think he knows I’m a monster. He knows I’m not someone to play with,” Haney continued. “I think he knows he’s at the end of his career. He’s going to go in there and try to lay it all out on the line and give it his all.

“He knows this is his last chance. He’s got to go in there and try and win. That would be beautiful,” said Haney when asked about the possibility of retiring Gamboa. “I’m excited about it. They hear me talk a lot.

“Now it’s time to back it up. We’re going to see if I’m all talk or if I know what I’m talking about. Oh, for sure,” said Haney about him turning it up from the Alfredo Santiago fight.

“Shoulder healthy, mind healthy, I’m ready. I was fighting so much back to back, training camp after training camp. Now I have the full time to rest and recover. Now get stronger, and I’m ready and excited for it,” said Haney about his fight with Gamboa.

Image: Devin Haney: Gamboa fight is a done deal, I can hurt him

Haney is a good fighter, but not a “Monster,” as he says, and he’s not as good as Gamboa was earlier in his career. Devin is not that kind of talent. Haney is an excellent technical, but he doesn’t have the speed, power, or explosiveness than Gamboa possessed.

That’s the sole reason why boxing fans don’t get excited about Haney, and they have flocked behind him the way that they did for Gamboa years ago.

Haney struggled in his step up fight last November against Alfredo Santiago, and he was exposed in that contest. It was Haney’s first real test, and he looked poor. That could be the reason why Haney’s management chose not to negotiate the match with Gary Russell Jr because he still has a lot left.