Per Sam Volz: Devin Haney says his May 20 title defense against Vasyl Lomachenko will be a “tactical chess match” when the two face off in Saudi Arabia.
Instead of using his massive size advantage, undisputed lightweight champion Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) plans to outrun Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) and beat him at his own game.
That could be a mistake for Haney, who is a welterweight size and probably looks two or three divisions bigger than the former featherweight.
When you have the size advantage that the 24-year-old Haney has, it’s a mistake not to use it, especially against a fighter who fought his previous fight against a bigger fighter, Jamaine Ortiz.
Haney bested George Kambosos Jr last year to capture his IBF, WBA and WBC lightweight belts in Australia, but he wasn’t up against a guy with the big skills he will be when he steps into the ring with Lomachenko.
Kambosos Jr was a nobody until he got an upset against an injured and sick Teofimo Lopez, so it wasn’t a surprise that Haney dethroned him.
“Stay tuned for May 2nd. Devin Haney vs. Vasyl Lomachenko. It will be a very tactical fight, chess”, said Devin Haney to iD Boxing. “It could very well be a very fun fight due to the clash of styles. Can not wait.
“At the moment this is the objective of the fight to be here, but we still don’t know. It’s not set in stone yet, but we’ll know soon,” Haney told Secondsout when asked if his fight against Lomachenko will take place in Saudi Arabia.
“I never knew it would happen like this, but we still don’t know. It’s still up in the air, but I hope so, and I’m all for it. This looks amazing. This is a huge stage for me and any fighter, and I hope to fight here (in Saudi Arabia) next time.
“I told him (Lomachenko) a long time ago, ‘Fight me now because it’s only going to get worse.’ Now, I’m just a different breed of fighter now. I’m a much more mature fighter than when I drafted him years and years ago, although I still think I would have won.
“Now I want to show him how many levels above him I am at this point in my career. I’m a different kind of fighter; I’m a throwback fighter. I’m willing to fight the best fighters in the world, whenever, wherever, however. I’m just a different breed of fighter.
“This is a dream come true. There is an enormous amount of Muslim support here. That’s why I want the fight to be here (Saudi Arabia). So I can fight in front of my Muslim people, just to be here. This is amazing; it’s a blessing,” said Haney.