Haney dazzles, then survives to outpoint Linares in lightweight title defense

Gets test against best opponent of career

Lightweight world titlist Devin Haney has long been viewed as one of the most talented fighters in the division but had yet to face a top opponent so he could begin to prove it.

He wanted a test and that is what made his WBC title defense against former titleholder Jorge Linares on Saturday night so pivotal, because he was finally facing a well-respected opponent considered to be by far the most dangerous of his career.

While Haney wound up winning a unanimous decision in the highly entertaining main event of the Matchroom Boxing card on DAZN at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, it was by no means easy thanks to the late-fight surge by Linares.

Haney survived some very difficult moments over the final three rounds but prevailed 116-112, 116-112 and 115-113 to retain his 135-pound title for the third time. Fight Freaks Unite had Haney winning 117-111.

For most of the fight Haney was in full control, doing almost as he pleased. He was dazzling, in fact. He showed off his tremendous foot and hand speed advantages and caught Linares repeatedly with powerful jabs that rocked his head back.

But Linares, a three-division world titlist with mountains of experience — he turned pro in 2001, when Haney was three years old — was not about to go quietly into the night. He said repeatedly during the lead up to the fight that he had prepared as well for this fight as for any in his career, knowing it was probably his last shot at a world title.

Linares (47-6, 29 KOs), 35, a Venezuela native based in Japan, rocked Haney with a left uppercut in the ninth round but Haney shook it off. Even with the outlook appearing bleak for Linares as the 10th round wound down, he never stopped trying to land the fight changing shot.

Finally, just as the bell was about to ring to end the 10th round, Linares nailed Haney with what was probably the hardest shot he has ever been hit with. It was a clean right hand to the chin that rocked Haney, who was fortunate the bell rang to end the round as he staggered back to his corner.

“I came in here, I got the win and I’m satisfied. That’s what the fans wanted to see,” Haney said. “They want to see if I can go in there and walk my opponent down. Hit him with big shots. I showed I can do it all. I can box, I can bang, I can take a shot and face adversity and get the job done.

“It was a good shot, but I wasn’t hurt. Sometimes when you get hit by a good shot, you have to be smart, continue the game plan, and I did that and got the win.”

Haney (26-0, 15 KOs), 22, of Las Vegas, was still not all together when the 11th round began and Linares quickly landed a right and a left to open the round, then a hard left hook moments later. Haney’s legs were still shaky and after he landed his own left late in the round he tried to tie up Linares to run out the clock. Linares got in a series of right hands as Haney hung on to him, setting the stage for possible drama in the 12th round.

Haney seemed to regain his legs in the final round but he took a hard right hand from Linares inside the final minute and continued to hold. His tactics were obvious and referee Russell Mora warned him for holding with about 20 seconds to go, but he made it to the final bell and won the fight after overcoming the most adversity he had ever had to deal with as a pro.

“He came to only clinch me. Clinch, clinch, clinch,” Linares told Fight Hub TV of Haney’s plan after he got nailed in the 10th round. “I was thinking (the referee) would take one point. But boxing is like that. I was good. I’m very happy with my job. The inactivity (of 17 months) affected me a lot. I said give me the opportunity for the rematch but 100 percent he doesn’t want that. He was fast but I didn’t feel his punches. He has good speed but only that.”

Before the big shot at the end of the 10th round, Haney was fighting what seemed to be a flawless fight. He was super sharp with his jab, landed many clean left hooks and was fighting far more aggressively than usual and staying in the pocket for longer stretches in an effort to be more crowd pleasing, which is what nearly cost him.

“It looked like he got buzzed a little bit,” said Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, Haney’s promoter. “Eleventh round I thought he regrouped, 12th round I thought he was absolutely fine. By then he had the fight won so it was just a case of coasting through the round. The question is why get involved in that but it’s because he wanted to entertain and he wanted to close the show. So for eight, nine rounds he was absolutely perfect but Linares did finish very well.”

In the eighth round, Haney landed a heavy left hook that snapped Linares’ head back in the opening seconds and continued to pile on with jabs. Linares’ scar-tissue covered face was showing the wear of taking so many punches before he mounted the late-fight comeback that fell just short. It was the first time Linares had ever suffered a loss in a fight that went the distance.

According to CompuBox statistics, Haney landed 215 of 675 punches (32 percent), including landing 79 jabs, and Linares connected with 116 of 620 blows (19 percent). Haney outlanded Linares in every round, often by double digits, except in the 11th and 12th rounds, the two rounds when he was in trouble.

Haney’s 215 overall landed punches were the most by a Linares opponent and Linares’ 91 landed power punches were the most by a Haney opponent.  

“I knew he was going to come here and give it everything,” Haney said. “It was a huge opportunity for him. He would be willing to get knocked out to go for the win, take my biggest shots to get this title.

“I just kept smart, used the jabs, feinted and landed shots in the 12th round. You are going to get hit with big shots in boxing. I didn’t get dropped. You see fighters get dropped and get up from big shots and people praise them, I didn’t get dropped, I stayed on my feet, kept throwing shots and closed it out.

“I knew this fight was gonna be a test. This is by far the best fighter that I’ve fought and this is the guy that dropped ‘Loma’ (Vasiliy Lomachenko). He dropped Luke Campbell. Let’s not forget that.”

The question now is what is next for Haney? He would like to fight unified champion Teofimo Lopez, who claims to be the undisputed champion but owns the WBC’s “franchise” belt, not the world title Haney has.

Haney figures the best way to solve that dispute is for them to fight, as long as Lopez defeats mandatory challenger George Kambosos on June 19. Hearn said there would be no issue making that fight with Lopez promoter Top Rank and no issues if Haney had to leave DAZN for one fight to do it on ESPN, Top Rank’s broadcaster.

Haney wants the fight.

“I want to fight the best,” he said. “I stayed focused on Jorge this week. I knew he was a tough competitor, and I got the job done with the game plan. If Teofimo Lopez wants to do it next, let’s do it for all the belts, the real undisputed.”

Photo: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing