Devin Haney Beats Jorge Linares through Decision to Keep Lightweight Title

It wasn’t constantly easy, nevertheless Devin Haney survived the toughest take a look at of his younger career, defeating outmoded boxer Jorge Linares by unanimous resolution to prefer his WBC world light-weight championship on Saturday night on the Michelob Ultra Area in Las Vegas.

The judges scored the bout 116-112, 116-112, 115-113, per the DAZN broadcast.

For nearly about 10 elephantine rounds, Haney build in a assured all-round efficiency. His jab was once appealing and swift, he jumbled collectively energy punches to the head and physique, and his protection was once on point. Linares nearly about stole the fight on the high with a instant real hand beautiful Haney within the closing seconds of the 10th round, very such as the one who saw him knock down Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2018. Here’s a sight on the punch, per DAZN Boxing:

It compelled 22-300 and sixty five days-former world champion to stumble to the create line, clinching to e book obvious of a most likely knockout blow within the closing two rounds.

Boxing creator Steve Kim and actress Rosie Perez reacted to the fight:

Haney, who remains undefeated, acknowledged he took a big shot, nevertheless fleet grew to change into his attention to a most likely unification bout, per The Athletic’s Lance Pugmire:

Haney pumped the jab early and usually. His left hand was once persistently buzzing Linares’ chin, forcing him to protect his guard high and opening up alternatives to throw combos to the torso. Linares did arrange to protect Haney precise with a pair of examine hooks that landed cleanly, nevertheless he struggled to protect up with the younger fighter’s tempo.

Ring‘s Douglass Fischer cherished what he saw from the champion:

Haney saved up the aggression within the third round, stinging Linares with an exact hook early within the round, and he also confirmed off his superior reflexes, pulling faraway from a pair of counterpunches aching to search out a rental.

Linares began making inroads within the fourth round, looking ahead to Haney to commit earlier than firing reduction with left and real hooks. Even with the improved offense, he peaceable saved ingesting jabs and effectively-timed energy shots. The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger celebrated the mounting damage Linares was once taking:

In his closing lope, Haney did not knock out a clearly overmatched Yuriorkis Gamboa. That would maybe maybe well’ve been weighing on the younger fighter, as he was once worthy keener to pause within the pocket against Linares. The sixth round saw the two opponents whisk toe-to-toe for nearly about all three minutes. Haney landed a pair of uppercuts and pushed the 35-300 and sixty five days-former Venezuelan around the ring, nevertheless the shift faraway from the jab allowed the elder fighter to gain his timing down, ensuing in some of his most attention-grabbing punches of the fight.

You can also glimpse the gears slowing down for Linares within the eighth round as Haney’s relentless work on his ribcage took its toll. Haney remained a effectively-oiled machine, the allege of his energy jab to location up tougher shots to the chin and physique. A left hook early within the physique snapped Linares’ head reduction, per DAZN Boxing:

Despite taking a ton of punishment, Linares came internal shouting distance of a decide thanks to that anvil of a punch at discontinue of the 10th round. It sent Haney stumbling reduction to his nook, and his legs peaceable weren’t underneath him within the 11th. After a largely dominant efficiency, Haney was once striking on for pricey existence, drawing heavy boos from the gang for his indecent clinching.

Haney managed to e book obvious of the beautiful upset, nevertheless his efficiency will elevate some questions going forward. Clearly, he has sizable tempo, technical skill and a multifaceted jab. Nonetheless, the energy real would maybe maybe well now not be there, as he wasn’t ready to gain a knockdown against both Gamboa or Linares, rising older veterans who score taken lots of trips to the canvas of their careers.

We also know Haney is at possibility of precise counterpunching, which is customarily a problem against a heavy-handed, appealing fighter admire Teofimo Lopez, who can also very effectively be his next opponent.