Devin Haney will beat George Kambosos Jr says Joel Diaz

By Boxing News - 03/24/2022 - Comments

By Sean Jones: Trainer Joel Diaz is picking WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney to defeat unified four-belt champ George Kambosos Jr if they meet on June 5th.

Although Diaz says Kambosos-Haney is a 50-50 fight, for the most part, he feels that Haney (27-0, 15 KOs) has the edge due to his defensive skills, speed, and technical ability.

However, if it’s close, Kambosos will likely be given the decision due to the fight taking place in his backyard in Melbourne, Australia.

The management for Haney and Kambosos still haven’t put the fight together yet, but it’s believed they’ll do so soon. It’s a fight that Kambosos wants, which increases the chances of it happening.

Kambosos had planned previously to defend his four belts against Vasyl Lomachenko, but the Russian invasion of Ukraine has changed those plans. Lomachenko’s promoter Bob Arum said the fight with Kambosos was essentially done for June 5th, but the war in Ukraine changed those plans.

Haney’s promoter Eddie Hearn said earlier on Thursday that they won’t “price ourselves out” for the fight.

It’s a fight that Haney needs more than Kambosos because he doesn’t have a whole country behind him as George does in Australia.

“The only time I’ve seen him fight is when he beat Teofimo Lopez,” said trainer Joel Diaz to Fighthype about George Kambosos. “He’s a good fighter, he’s technical and smart, but at the same time, you’ve got Devin Haney, he’s young, he’s fast and very technical and smart.

“To me, it’s a 50-50 fight. I’m not going to lean towards either one because Kambosos, he’s been around and was helping Pacquiao at one point. He’s got some really good experience.

Image: Devin Haney will beat George Kambosos Jr says Joel Diaz

“Devin Haney has got a lot of confidence coming up. He’s very technical and very smart. There’s not going to be much action because of their styles.

“It’s going to be a technical fight, but if I have to lean towards one, I think Devin will take it at the end by decision.

“Devin steps up to the level of his opposition. I just see it like that. Kambosos can come with some pressure, but he’s going to run into something. Devin Haney, he’s technical, he doesn’t throw a lot, but he’s very accurate, and he’s very uncomfortable.

“You can throw as many punches as you want against a fighter like Devin, but if you can’t hit what’s not there, it’s a little complicated for a fighter,” said Diaz.

Lomchenko beats Kambosos & Haney

“Yeah, definitely,” said Diaz when asked if Vasyl Lomachenko would beat Haney and Kambosos. “Lomachenko is a different style and a different type of fighter.

“He has so many issues. He’s had injuries. I didn’t think he would lose to Teofimo Lopez, and I saw the fight. Lomachenko waited too long. I thought, ‘One, two, three rounds,’ but he started opening up after the seventh, and that was already too late.

“To me, if he had applied a little bit more pressure as he did in the eighth and ninth round, I think he ould have even stopped Teofimo Lopez. But he waited too long.

“I don’t know what happened in his camp. All I know is Lomachenko has injuries and whatnot. He would beat both of them,” said Diaz Jr.

Most boxing fans would likely agree with Diaz on his belief that a healthy Lomachenko beats Haney and Kambosos.

Haney has struggled lately in his last two fights against Joseph ‘Jojo’ Diaz Jr. and Jorge Linares. In both of those contests, Haney was staggered.

Fortunately for Haney, Kambosos lacks power and is more of a boxer than a slugger. If Kambosos doesn’t increase his punching power by June 5th, his 15 minutes of fame will be over.

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