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Devin Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) was an undisputed champion, but also a young fighter with something to prove going into Saturday’s bout with Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs), an aging legend with a chip on his shoulder. They had been circling each other for a few years, but this weekend they finally got in the ring to find out who’s the better.
The fight was a technical masterpiece (see our post-fight analysis below) but still managed to end in controversy as Haney took a decision win many fans felt he didn’t deserve. Read our live play by play from Saturday to follow the developing action in real time as it happened Saturday night.
Play-by-play: Devin Haney vs Vasiliy Lomachenko
Round 1: Interestingly, seems like a pro-Loma crowd in the building tonight. Haney hasn’t won anyone over with his pre-fight antics. In any case, here we go. Haney clearly the much much bigger man. Will need to make use of that. Haney said he was going to push Loma back, he’s started that way. Jabbing and following with straight rights. Now Loma finds an angle inside and lands a nice little combination. This is an open-stance matchup, Loma southpaw and Haney orthodox, so if Loma can get round the outside he’ll be in business. Hasn’t taken long to start finding his range here, though Haney punches with him and forces him back to range. Lomachenko has started fast this time. Haney is making him miss a fair bit though. Tight round, 10-9 Loma
Round 2: Haney has to be wary, because he is evading shots well but you did see him get a little bit off-balance already in round 1. He really needs to prevent that circling more than try to deal with it constantly. Now he’s pressed forward and works the body. And now an overhand right. He’s doing well this round to land the bodyshots when Loma tries to get in to work. And catches him with a right upstairs. The Loma responds, closes the gaps and lets a combination go upstairs. Loma finishes strong, but Haney did start the round well. 10-9 Haney, 19-19
Round 3: They tangle at the start of round 3 as Loma tries to slip round the outside. Haney’s trying to control the movement with straight rights upstairs and to the body. Effective stopping the movement to Loma’s left, but leaves the other way open. Now Loma ducks in and lets three to the body go. He’s getting inside efffectively this round, and Haney’s holding more this time. Now Loma’s really warming up, combinations upstairs and down. Haney is landing big single shots, but not dissuading the smaller man now. 10-9 Loma, 29-28
Round 4: Haney pushing forward to start the round. That’s the gameplan, he’s not been consistently able to. Loma circles him and gets his work off. Haney does catch him with a straight right, but Loma responds with straights of his own. Haney is backing off now. He’s really struggling with Loma’s movement in close. Big bodyshots from Haney. He’s making Loma follow now, that’s what he needs. They tie up and fall over. Good round for Haney. 10-9 Haney, 38-38
Round 5: Some odd advice from Haney’s trainer and dad in the corner, telling Haney not to step off even though he’s just done well l on the backfoot. Haney listens, and comes out pushing again. He is landing rights to the body, that’s working well. But whenever he misses, coming forward, Loma gets around. Haney tries to obstruct with his lead hand out, Loma comes under it, pushes him to the ropes and lands. Loma if anything winning shoving matches that occur, though Haney has used his height well to position himself when Loma tries to stick inside. Good work from both this round. 10-9 Haney, 48-47
Round 6: If Haney wins this, it’s the bodyshots that’ll do it. They’re working for him. Haney has a bit more success, but when he tries to hold his feet and exchange, Loma overwhelms a bit with volume. And Loma snaps his head back with a big step-in jab. More big shots to the body from Haney. He also gets a warning for shots behind the head. This is suuuper close. 10-9 Loma, 57-57
Round 7: Haney’s dad now changes his tack, says stay on the outside. Loma opens the round with a lovely combination catching Haney napping a bit at mid range. They clinch up and Loma spins and throws Haney away. Haney might be bigger but Loma knows how tp push around. Short right from Haney lands upstairs, then to the body slightly low. Loma had his shots in there too. Now another moment when Haney backs up in a straight line and gets caught with his head on center line. Can’t afford to get lackadaisical against Loma. Then Haney feints a jab and lands a left hook instead. Loma lands to close the round. 10-9 Loma, 67-66
Round 8: Loma having some success working over Haney’s jab. A sticky jab, leaving it to obscure the view, is useful often but Loma’s using it against him. Loma slips, no knockdown. Haney getting a little bit wild. Loma mixing his timing, landing some softer shots then sharper ones. Haney tries a big right to the body. We’re back to the pattern from earlier, Haney’s throwing single big shots, Loma more consistent work. And Haney snaps Haney’s head back with a step-in jab, and again. For such a good defensive fighter, he leaves his head on center-line oddly often, Haney. Good 1-2 from him before the clapper, but Loma closes again with the jab. 10-9 Loma, 77-75
Round 9: I’ve got Loma up, but this could be going any way really. Haney’s done great body work, which Loma’s not doing. Now he walks Loma on to a left hook, turning and drawing him in. Then a straight left by Loma snaps the head back. Then an odd 1-2, a jab from in real close and a left as Haney steps back. Haney’s shoulder-bumping pretty well to stop Loma getting around his lead hand, these last few rounds. Haney looking a little tired, but not showing in his game really. Did a good job here keeping Loma directly in front of him. 10-9 Haney, 86-85 Loma
Round 10: Slightly slower round to start here. Haney seemed a little worried in between rounds, but his dad kept him calm. And Loma hurts Haney! They were in close and sharp shots land! Haney a little out of position, but he’s recovered. Nice short bodyshot from Haney, but Loma barrels inside and works again. Haney less happy to work in close now, and Loma’s happy to stay in the pocket more. Clearest round of the fight. 10-9 Loma, 96-94
Round 11: We are starting to see Haney slow a bit. Not wilted, but the timing is off. And Loma steps in, short right knocks Haney back. Haney trying to spin with Loma, it’s not his game. That head is on center-line all the time too. We’re seeing the holes in his defence. He’s getting bullied. And Loma unloads a big combination. In the pocket at will. The counters aren’t coming, and Haney’s technique has gone out the window. Loma does back off a bit in the final minute of the round, but Haney is doing nothing. 10-9 Loma, 106-103
Round 12: Haney really needs to find something here. He’s lost his cool. He might even still be winning this on the official cards, but he can’t take that risk. Loma’s feeling himself. Haney does do good work to start the round, working the body again. Now Loma works in and throws those combos. Pushes Haney into the corner, works upstairs. He hasn’t hit the body too much today, but Haney’s head is just there for him now. Haney lands a good right hand counter, but again, single shots to 3-5 shot combos. Loma’s countering the counters. This round is closer, but it’s still a Loma round. 10-9 Loma, 116-112
I have it quite wide, but it could be a lot closer. Potentially could still see a Haney victory, but it seems unlikely with Loma so dominant in that last quarter. Judge’s cards coming up now.
Official scorecards: 116-112, 115-113, 115-113 for Devin Haney
116-112 Haney is wild. The result overall maybe not a robbery, but it seems harsh. The crowd aren’t happy either. This will be controversial.
Haney vs Lomachenko full results, undercard
IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO world lightweight title fight: Devin Haney UD Vasiliy Lomachenko
116-112, 115-113, 115-113
Super-featherweight: Oscar Valdez UD Adam Lopez
- Oscar Valdez makes his comeback, a little over a year after his schooling by Shakur Stevenson last year
- This is something of a recovery fight and Valdez is looking towards a title shot with Emmanuel Navarrete, but the pair have met before, with Lopez – then a last-minute replacement- scoring a knockdown early before being KO’d himself, back in 2019.
- Valdez is winning pretty clear through four rounds, though it’s not his best performance.
- This is coming off like sparring, almost. Valdez is going to win, but Lopez is keeping himself pretty safe and Valdez not looked like knocking him out so far.
- There was some drama in the 10th, as Valdez appeared to break Lopez’ nose, leading to a big reaction. Replays appear to show that came from an accidental headbutt, followed by a punch.
- He hurt him again late in the round and chased the knockout, but didn’t quite get it.
- Valdez wins with scores of 98-92, 98-91, 97-93
Lightweight: Raymond Muratalla TKO2 Jeremia Nakathila
- First up on the PPV card, the 26-year-old Muratalla looks to prove he’s a genuine contender against former world title contender Nakathila
- Nakathila hasn’t fought in over a year, since a win over Miguel Berchelt in March last year, but with that fight and his loss against Shakur Stevenson, he’s fought at much higher level than Muratalla to date.
- Muratalla scores a TKO victory, hurting Nakathila towards the end of the round and unloading on the ropes till the referee stepped in.
- You could argue that was a little early, but it wasn’t anything resembling Tony Weeks’ horrendous stoppage last week. Replays show Nakathila’s head snapping back and him lolling on the ropes before the ref jumps in. It’s okay.
WBO world super flyweight title: Junto Nakatani KO12 Andrew Moloney
- Up now, the 25-year old Nakatani is a rising star out of Japan. He held the WBO belt down at flyweight, and is now stepping up to test himself at superfly.
- 32-year-old Australian Moloney is an experienced fighter who has challenged for a title before, in a three-fight run against current WBA champion Joshua Franco (a narrow loss, a no-contest due to clash of heads, and a wide loss). He’ll expect to be competitive here.
- Look out for the southpaw Nakataki’s work with his lead right hand, one of the most varied and creative around right now.
- Nakati dominates early, scoring a second round nockdown as Moloney tries to get inside on the taller man.
- A big clash of heads opens a cut on Nakatani in round 3, but he’s able to box on.
- Moloney was able to find some success in the middle rounds, but he seemed to slow after the 7th and Nakatani took over again in the last third.
- Another big knockdown in the 11th for Nakatani.
- Nakatani finishes with a HUGE knockout in the final round. Absolute monster punch.
Middleweight: Nico Ali Walsh vs. Danny Rosenberger
- First up on the main prelims, Nico Ali Walsh is the grandson of Muhammad Ali.
- At 22, he’s still a prospect, but he boxing started relatively late not really seen by most observers as having world-level potential. Thus, he’s here more on his name than his prospects, but he has potential.
- Rosenberger, a part-timer with a day job, has been showing him a tough time in the first half of the fight, finding a few of Ali Walsh’s defensive lapses and being tricky to find himself.
- The commentators agreed that Rosenberger had the advantage, but the judges came to a split draw
- 77-75 Rosenberger, 77-75 Ali Walsh, 76-76
Super bantamweight: Floyd Diaz UD8 Luis Saavedra
- 80-72, 79-73, 80-72
Lightweight: Abdullah Mason TKO6 Desmond Lyon
Middleweight: Amari Jones TKO6 Pachino Hill
Lightweight: Emiliano Vargas TKO2 Rafael Jasso
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