By Ken Hissner: At the MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, Saturday over DAZN Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing), Kevin Rooney, Jr., matchmaker, presented WBC World Lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney successfully defended his title for the fourth time defeating WBC interim World Lightweight champion Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz over 12 rounds.
In the co-main event, WBA, WBO, WBC, IBF, and IBO World Female Welterweight champion Jessica “CasKILLA” McCaskill stopped late sub Kandi “Krush” Wyatt in seven rounds.
In the Main Event WBC World Lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney, 27-0 (15), #135, of Las Vegas, NV, defeated WBC interim World Lightweight champion Joseph “Jo Jo” Diaz, 32-2-1 (15), #134 ½, of South El Monte, CA, over 12 rounds.
In the first round, the taller Haney dominated with his jab and rights to the chin of Diaz, who hardly landed a punch. In the second round, Diaz started landing punches but far less than Haney, whose best punch was a lead right to the mid-section of Diaz. In the third round, with a minute remaining, Haney landed a combination to the chin of the oncoming forward Diaz, who continued to have problems getting inside.
In the fourth round, Diaz wrestled Haney to the canvas. Haney made him pay with lead rights to the chin in a competitive round. In the fifth round, Haney, with hands to his side, started throwing right hand punches with bad intentions on the chin of Diaz. Haney landed two low rights before referee Russell Mora warned him. In the sixth round, Haney continued beating Diaz to the punch.
In the seventh round, Diaz started landing lead lefts to the chin of Haney. Haney won a very close round. In the eighth round, Diaz made it interesting staying inside.
In the ninth round, Diaz caught Haney with a lead left on the chin with a minute remaining. Haney came back and rocked Diaz with double left hooks to the body. In the tenth round, Diaz landed well just after a minute into the round with two lefts to the head of Haney. In the final thirty seconds, Haney hurt Diaz with a right on the chin. Diaz gets Haney backed into a corner and failed to open up.
In the eleventh round, Haney dominated Diaz except for once getting backed into a corner, and Diaz landed a pair of lefts to the head of Haney. In the twelfth and final round, knowing he needed a knockout, Diaz got in a good overhand lead left a minute into the round and later at the midway point. In the final minute, Haney dominated right up to the bell.
Scores were DeLuca and Moretti 117-111, with Cheatham 116-112 and this writer 119-109. “Let’s get it settled (Kambosos),” said Haney. Asked even in Australia, and he remarked, “even in Juniper!”
In the co-main event, WBA, WBO, WBC, IBF, and IBF World Female Welterweight champion Jessica “CasKILLA” McCaskill, 11-2 (4). #146 ¼, of Chicago, IL, stopped late sub Kandi “Krush” Wyatt, 10-4 (3), #146 ¼, Calgary, Alberta, CAN, at 0:19 of the seventh round of a scheduled 10×2 rounds.
In the first three rounds, it was all McCaskill drawing blood from the nose of Wyatt in the third round. In the fourth and fifth rounds, McCaskill dealt out a beating to the game Wyatt.
In the sixth round, McCaskill landed right hands to the head time and again. In the seventh round, a right from McCaskill to the chin of Wyatt and referee Celestino Ruiz called a halt.
Welterweight southpaw Montana “Too Pretty” Love, 17-0-1 (9), #143 ¾ of Cleveland, OH, stopped Carlos “Chuko” Diaz, 29-2-1nc (14), #139 ¼, of Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEX, at 1:22 of round three of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the first round, Diaz kept coming forward, with Love countering him well. In the final minute, Diaz countered a right hook from southpaw Love with a left hook on the chin of Love. In the second round, Love left uppercut, and right hook on the chin and down went Diaz for 8-count. Love landed a right hook and left hook, and down went Diaz for 8-count. Love landed a left uppercut and right hook on the chin, dropping Diaz for the third time in the round.
In the fourth round, near the halfway mark, southpaw Love landed left to the body, right to head, and left to the head, causing referee Raul Caiz, Jr. to call a halt with Diaz upset about the stoppage.
IBF International Heavyweight champion Filip “Stone Man” Hrgovic, 14-0 (12), #246 ¾, of Zagreb, Croatia, retained his title stopping Emir Ahmatovic, 10-1 (7), #228 ¼, of Serbia and Berlin, Germany, at 0:40 of the third round of a scheduled ten rounds.
In the second round, Hrgovic scored a pair of knockdowns over Ahmatovic. In the third round, Hrgovic knocked down Ahmatovic, forcing referee Allen Huggins to call a halt.
Middleweight Austin “Ammo“ Williams, 9-0 (7), #160, of Houston, TX, stopped Quatavious Cash, 14-3 (8), #160, of Atlanta, GA, at 0:26 of the second round of a scheduled eight rounds.
Super Middleweight Alexis Espino, 9-0-1 (6), #167 ¼, of Las Vegas, NV, ended in a majority draw with Rodolfo “Cabrita” Gomez, 14-5-2 (10), #168, of Mexico and Laredo, TX, over eight rounds.
Scores were 77-75 Gomez and 76-76 twice.
Flyweight Ricardo “El Nino” Sandoval, 20-1 (15), #111 ¾, stopped Carlos “Chocorroncito” Buitrago, 32-7-1 (18), #113, of Managua, NIC, at 0:46 of the seventh round of a scheduled 10.
