By Allan Fox: WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney will be fighting on December 3rd or 10th on DAZN. The opponent is still being decided, but it’s not expected to be a big name.
Earlier on Friday, Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) called out Joseph ‘JoJo’ Diaz Jr. after learning of his opponent Ryan Garcia suffering a wrist injury training for their November 27th fight. Ryan will be having wrist surgery next week.
Jojo Diaz Jr. is unlikely to accept the offer from Haney to fight him next, as his promoters at Golden Boy will probably have him take a stay-busy fight while he waits for ‘King Ry’ Garcia to come back from his hand surgery.
Haney almost knocked out by Linares
It’s essential that Haney, 22, get a quality opponent because he’s not progressing up the ladder to increase his popularity. In Haney’s last fight, he labored to a 12 round unanimous decision win over 35-year-old Jorge Linares on May 29th.
Linares hurt Haney multiple times in the championship rounds of the fight and likely would have knocked him out if Devin hadn’t clinched nearly nonstop in the last four rounds.
After a performance like that, it would be an excellent idea for Haney to be matched against a non-puncher for his title defense in December. What he doesn’t need is to be put in with someone who will tap his fragile mandible and possibly finish what Linares started.
Haney’s possible options:
Yvan Mendy
Zaur Abdullaev
Emmanuel Tagoe
Javier Fortuna
Masayoshi Nakatani
Isaac Cruz Jr.
Michel Rivera
Francesco Patera
Shuichiro Yoshino
Francisco Vargas
Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz is perhaps the best of the bunch, but he’s also the most dangerous for Haney. If Linares shook something loose in Haney’s brain housing, ‘Pitbull’ Cruz will take advantage of it.
If he gets Haney hurt the way Linares repeatedly did, he’ll finish the job. Cruz won’t stop punching when Haney clinches him the way that Linares did.
Haney has already beaten Zaur Abdullaev, so he’s not a good option for him. Javier Fortuna, Francisco Vargas, and Masayoshi Nakatani were beaten in their last fights, making them poor choices for Haney to fight next.
Is Haney ready for quality opposition?
Haney wants to fight the top guys at 135, but I don’t think he’s ready for any of them after the way he looked against Linares. What he needs is to fight opposition that will increase his popularity without beating him.
It’s a problematic situation for Haney. If his promoters at Matchroom Boxing put him in with a live body like ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, Vasily Lomachenko, or Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, he’ll likely lose.
“Sources: Devin Haney‘s return targeted for Dec. 3 or Dec. 10 on DAZN (both Fridays). No opponent locked in yet. Haney is coming off a win over Jorge Linares. Dec. 3 would place the rising star two days before Tank Davis-Rolly Romero. Dec. 10, one day before Lomachenko-Commey,” said @Mike Coppinger.