By Craig Daly: Devin Haney can have issues making the 135-lb restrict for the title protection of his undisputed light-weight championship in opposition to Vasyl Lomachenko if the competition is delayed till Could.
Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) has Ramadan from March 22 to April twenty first, and, doubtless, it’ll be troublesome for him to make weight afterward as a result of he’ll wish to eat effectively.
Devin says he prefers the battle with Lomachenko earlier than Ramadan, that means he needs the match to happen in February or early to mid-March. That works for Haney however doesn’t work for the soon-to-be 35-year-old Loma.
Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) wants time to get the remaining ring rust out of his system as a result of near-year layoff whereas serving within the armed forces in Ukraine for the continuing struggle.
Though Loma returned to the ring final October for a battle in opposition to Jamaine Ortiz, he seemed rusty, and his conditioning was lower than it had been in his earlier battle in opposition to Richard Commey in December 2021.
It’s fairly attainable that this would be the final battle for Haney at light-weight, which is a pity as a result of there are large query marks about his viability at gentle welterweight when he’s compelled to maneuver up in weight.
Haney lacks energy, and his punch resistance isn’t the place it must be for him to take the stable photographs he’ll be getting routinely hit with by the 140-pounders.
Additional, Haney doesn’t possess Mayweather-like hand pace or reflexes to keep away from getting hit by his opponents. As such, when Haney strikes as much as 140, his possibilities of continued profession success might be depending on slick match-making by his promoters to maintain him away from the proficient fighters and solely matching him in opposition to flawed guys with little energy.
“Haney and Lomachenko have been speaking with High Rank for weeks, however there’s nonetheless no deal. Haney raised a difficulty on Twitter, saying that he wished the battle earlier than Ramadan since he’ll must quick,” stated Mike Coppinger to ESPN about undisputed light-weight champion Devin Haney.
“Ramadan runs from March 22 to April 21, which may push the battle to Could if it takes place after the observance interval. It may hinder Haney from staying on the weight even longer as he grows into his energy and eyes a transfer to 140 kilos later within the yr.”
Lomachenko might be turning 35 years previous on February seventeenth, and he’s slowing down so far as his hand & foot pace. It wasn’t simply ring rust that induced Lomachenko to look sluggish on his ft in his current battle in opposition to his former sparring accomplice Jamaine Ortiz on October twenty ninth.
That battle confirmed that Lomachenko has misplaced each hand & foot pace, and he is not going to get that again, irrespective of how a lot time he takes in coaching camp. That’s an age-related drawback that Lomachenko has now.
If Loma loses this battle, he wants to think about shifting again down in weight to 130 or 126 as a result of if he can’t beat Haney, he’ll have as many issues in fights in opposition to prime lightweights like Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis and Frank Martin.
“I feel it’s an ideal battle. All of it relies on how a lot ring rust Loma knocked off and the way effectively Devin makes the load once more,” stated tremendous featherweight contender Albert Bell to Fighthype, when requested about his ideas on Devin Haney vs. Vasyl Lomachenko battle.
“It’s an amazing battle with contrasting types. You’ve acquired the technical-like fighter that does lots of issues [Lomachenko], and also you’ve acquired the normal classical fighter in Devin.
“Devin is the a lot greater man, he’s longer, and he’s peaking proper now. He’s doing good. It’s good timing on Devin’s finish, and if Lomachenko needs his dream to be the undisputed champion, he has to attempt to seize the chance, however Devin is trying superb proper now,” stated Bell.
