Can Devin Haney beat the top lightweights in the division? What now for Jorge Linares?
Devin Haney was fighting two different
battles on Saturday night.
On one front, the 22-year-old lightweight hero was hoping to safeguard his WBC belt against Jorge Linares, a veteran previous top dog who actually conveys huge regard in the game. On the other, Haney expected to show why he is deserving of a session against a portion of the other large names in the 135-pound division.
Haney achieved in any event something or other. He crushed Linares through consistent choice to stay undefeated and stay in conflict for a major battle against another top name in the division.
Yet, was Haney's presentation enough to improve the drawn out direction of his profession?
We should separate what's next for Haney and Linares after their session in Las Vegas.
Who should Haney fight next?
In a meeting before the battle, Haney regretted that other top lightweights weren't really arranging to confront him. Haney likewise said he shouldn't need to be the one persuading everyone he merits a battle against a major name rival, as he holds the WBC belt and is positioned among the best 135-pound warriors.
While Haney makes a reasonable point, the counter contention heading into this battle additionally was convincing. Haney has enormous specialized ability, yet as a prizefighter, one could contend Haney was a high-hazard, low-reward adversary for warriors like Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia or Vasiliy Lomachenko.
All things considered, on Saturday, Haney battled like he had something to demonstrate. He was able to remain before Linares and toss some large punches - an honorable methodology that wound up costing Haney when he was gotten with a major right hand toward the finish of the tenth round.
Around there, it was not difficult to identify with Haney. He went through the entire evening doing what everybody needed him to do by taking the battle straightforwardly to Linares and not just attempting to outsmart him. At the point when Haney went head to head with the danger that accompanies that kind of battle - and got protective in the last two rounds - he was chastised for it.
Regardless of the view of Haney's hold filled completion as he endure the last two rounds, he did all that could possibly be needed to hold his belt and demonstrated that he merits a turn a major name.
What's more, why not Lopez? Lopez is confronting George Kambosos Jr. in a compulsory title guard on June 19. Lopez, who has the other three significant belts in the division, can confront Haney and authoritatively become the undisputed hero, and afterward Lopez can do anything he desires a short time later.
It's a major battle that would produce a lot of interest in boxing and would can possibly be industrially fruitful. It's the sort of session that could reveal to us a ton about Haney and Lopez pushing ahead.
Can Haney beat one of the "big" lightweights?
The other top names in the 135-pound division are notable to most boxing fans - Lopez, Garcia, Lomachenko and Gervonta "Tank" Davis.
Haney's greatest blemish is his absence of force against great rivals. He didn't appear to fundamentally hurt Linares and didn't thump down a blurred Yuriorkis Gamboa in their battle a year ago.
However, Haney is still so quick and in fact strong that it's difficult to preclude him against the top contenders in the division. Outside of Lomachenko, Haney is apparently the best unadulterated fighter among every one of the lightweights. Haney showed that he can stick and move and exchange shots when he feels like it, and he can easily win adjusts. The central issue, as we saw against Linares, is if whether Haney can withstand the huge punch and have the important ability to be powerful at the most significant level.
What should Linares do now?
This is definitely not a simple inquiry to reply. It's difficult to say Linares should punch out after the manner in which he energized in the last three rounds against Haney. Nonetheless, in the event that somebody took a gander at the entire assortment of work, Linares was unmistakably outpointed and outgunned by somebody who was a lot quicker and more honed.
Furthermore, at the present time, what's out there for Linares? He was ESPN's No. 7 lightweight entering Saturday night, a positioning that appears to be reasonable after the Haney battle. It's difficult to see Linares, who will turn a day and a half August, beating any of the current bosses.
In any case, he is still sufficient that he justifies in any event one more payday against a quality adversary. A potential Lomachenko rematch is certifiably not an awful choice if Lomachenko beats Masayoshi Nakatani, if Lomachenko is searching for another person to beat prior to battling for a world title once more. Or on the other hand if Linares needs to go out on a success, he could confront one of the numerous mid-level lightweights who have a name, like Nakatani, Richard Commey and Javier Fortuna. Whatever survives from Linares' profession is adequately still to make for an energizing battle.
