By Lourence Alturino
Image from RingTV.com
After defeating George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday night, Devin Haney can now call himself the Undisputed Lightweight Champion. Haney put on a technical and masterful performance to get a clear unanimous decision in Kambosos' home country, Australia. How did this occur? What's next? Let's answer those questions as we recap this impressive victory from the young star.
Recap
From the very beginning of the bout, Haney established his incredible jab and did not look back. The jab would be the ultimate weapon for Devin in this fight as it messed up Kambosos' rhythm and frustrated him. Devin was super sharp with the lead hand, changing levels and firing it on the head and body.
Haney's footwork and defense was also on point once again in this fight. Every time George came in, he would miss significantly due to Haney's defensive responsibility. Devin heavily utilized the clinch as well to disrupt the combos from Kambosos.
Kambosos' frustration levels grew throughout the fight and swung wildly at times to the point where he would end up on the ropes. He attempted to make it a rough brawl later on in the fight, which is what he should've done from the beginning, but ultimately it was too little too late.
Haney out threw and out landed Kambosos, which was surprising, considering George’s usual high offensive output. All in all, Devin Haney won via unanimous decision and it can be easily justified that he won every single round.
Reaction
Am I surprised as to how this fight played out? Not at all. This is exactly how I envisioned this fight would be like. Styles make fights. And Devin Haney's style is a nightmare for most 135ers, especially for George Kambosos. Defense defeats offense a lot of the time and that showed in this bout.
Was this an entertaining fight? Not to the casual viewer, but to boxing fans, this was a satisfying display of elite boxing. What makes boxing so fun to watch is the sweet science. There wasn't a ton of crazy action or knockdowns, but Haney's performance was damn near flawless and that's what matters.
What's Next?
There is a rematch clause in place for these two and that's definitely going to be what's actually next for both of them. However, there is no doubt in my mind that the fight to make for the 135 division is Devin Haney vs Vasiliy Lomachenko. The former unified champion has been waiting for a chance to reclaim his belts and also achieve undisputed status. Haney vs Loma would be one of the most interesting matchups in boxing as they are both world class technicians with clashing styles.
Who knows what happens next, this sport is defined by its unpredictability. But what we do know is that Devin Haney accomplished the "dream" and is now the Undisputed champion of one of boxing's most exciting divisions.
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