Devin Haney gets the decision but Lomachenko Is Winning The Popular Vote

By Boxing News - 05/21/2023 - Comments

By Vince D’Writer: A high-stakes boxing match took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20th, and it was a thrilling night of boxing as two ring technicians clashed inside the squared circle; in the end, the undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko by way of unanimous decision.

Four years ago, Devin Haney was lobbying for the opportunity to fight Lomachenko because back then, Loma was a unified champion, and he was atop the pound-for-pound list. Four years later, the tables have turned as the reigning undisputed champion Devin Haney was the one to give Vasiliy Lomachenko an opportunity to fight for all the belts.

In the opening round of the undisputed lightweight championship bout, Devin Haney scored by landing a lead left hook, and then he proceeded to focus on attacking his opponent’s body. Lomachenko got inside quickly, but the undisputed champion’s defense was solid at that point.

In round 2, Haney stuck to the game plan in regards to sustaining an aggressive body attack. After Lomachenko got inside and did damage with the uppercut in the 3rd round, Haney switched up in the fourth, as he fought off the back foot, and as a result, he did a better job of controlling the distance.

In the second half of the fight, Vasiliy Lomachenko was in a rhythm as he routinely closed the distance and unloaded his offense. In round 7, Lomachenko started the round by landing multiple straight left hand shots, but Haney responded by ending the round with a solid left hook.

In the championship rounds, Lomachenko connected with multiple combinations in the tenth, he landed some precise power shots in the eleventh, but Haney boxed well in the 12th. At the conclusion of the championship match, the judges scored the bout 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113, all in favor of Devin Haney.

The 35-year-old Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) was highly disappointed when he heard the results. During his post-fight interview, Loma was asked to speak about the results, but he declined to comment on the decision because he felt he wasn’t ready to talk about it.

When asked about Devin Haney’s boxing ability, Lomachenko was more willing to provide a verbal response, as he gave an honest assessment of Haney’s skill level.

“Before, I think he will be better, but right now, he’s a top fighter, he’s a good fighter, but he’s not a pound-for-pound fighter.”

The undisputed championship bout between Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko was a closely contested fight that went in favor of Haney, but the majority of the fans in attendance believed Lomachenko should have been awarded the victory.

During his post-fight interview, Devin “The Dream” Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) spoke about his accomplishment of defeating a future Hall of Famer. Once the interview was done, Haney exited the ring, and as he walked down the aisle, he was greeted by a chorus of boos.

The fans in attendance and the majority of fans on social media believe Vasiliy Lomachenko got robbed. Members of the boxing community, such as Shakur Stevenson, Oscar De La Hoya, Keyshawn Davis, and Jorge Linares, believe Loma should have won the fight.

Haney did a lot of good work early when he was consistently landing the body shots. However, Lomachenko controlled the action in the second half of the fight as he had a better work rate, and he landed the cleaner punches.

Haney banked some rounds early, and Lomachenko banked some rounds late, but in between, they had quite a few swing rounds that were too close to call, and they could have gone either way.

Devin Haney has had a very successful career, but it has been highlighted by things that minimize his achievements. When he was elevated to the status of WBC Champion, he was called an email champion, and then when he won the undisputed crown, people started using the narrative that belts don’t matter.

Now the 24-year-old undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney collected one of the biggest wins of his pro boxing career, but unfortunately for Haney in the court of public opinion, his unanimous decision victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko will carry the label of being controversial.