When the fight was announced for April 20, WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney saw this as an opportunity to elevate his profile to those who casually watch the sport and become a name outside the boxing world. That desire took a turn for the worse on Saturday night, and Haney’s dream became a nightmare.
The nightmare scenario was to get knocked out by Ryan Garcia, but one would argue that getting knocked down three times and being dominated in the second half of the fight may be worse. There were questions about Haney’s chin, whether you reference the Jorge Linares fight or the Vasyl Lomachenko one, but in the end, many felt his superior boxing skills would overcome all of that and again against Garcia. Something changed the minute Haney was hit with the first left hook, and what we all thought wouldn’t matter because of Haney’s elite boxing skills did as he never fully recovered from that shot in the first round.
If you look at Haney’s Boxrec, he hadn’t really fought anyone that had one-punch knockout power. Regis Prograis was the closest, but he’s more of a combination, wear-you-down type of fighter than anything else. Garcia possesses that one-punch power, and when Haney felt it, he immediately knew he wasn’t as ready as he thought. On the telecast, one of the commentators yelled, “It’s like he doesn’t see the left hook coming.” It was hard not to see it as Garcia kept loading up with it, but Haney kept getting hit with it even though he knew it was coming. Maybe that is what gave Garcia the confidence from the start. The familiarity of them fighting in the amateurs could have been all Garcia needed for this fight. You grow as a fighter in the pros, but there are always one or two things that are just built in you, and maybe Garcia caught on to that, and that’s how he found success on Saturday night.
Now Haney has to deal with the fallout from his loss to Garcia. The WBC supports him and says he remains their super lightweight champion, but is Haney exposed? Andre Ward would always say that you are done once the mystique is over, as everyone will now exploit that. Is the mystique of Haney being an elite fighter gone, making his next big opponent likely to rush in and try to knock him out when they previously wouldn’t? All things to look out for as Haney contemplates what he will do next.
What is next for Haney? The rematch would be the biggest money fight for him but also the riskiest, as taking back-to-back losses would significantly hurt his profile. Does Haney take on his mandatory Sandor Martin? Does he take the Teofimo Lopez fight, which is just as dangerous for Haney? Some serious conversations must be had within Team Haney about the 25-year-old’s future. One loss doesn’t mean too much, but if you’re Haney, the next chess move has to be your best, as a lot is riding on it.
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