Haney vs. Lomachenko: The Aftermath

By the point these in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Backyard Area had been arriving on the ballroom for the post-fight press conferences of each Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko, ESPN’s stay broadcast was displaying photos of the Ukrainian sobbing in his dressing room along with his head in his arms.

Boxing Information had left the battle venue concurrently Shakur Stevenson, who revealed that he had scored in favour of Lomachenko by eight rounds to 4; within the ballroom Derrick Harmon, of Prime Rank and Haney’s first beginner coach, additionally mentioned that he believed that Lomachenko had gained.

Lou DiBella had by then already made his technique to the media part within the area to debate the scoring of the battle that he had as a draw. None who sat near BN thought of Haney a deserved winner. Whereas the world emptied one spectator – little doubt among the many many who loudly booed when the scores of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 had been introduced – shouted to these within the media seats, “That’s not okay”. One other shouted, to ESPN’s broadcast group, “Inform them, Max [Kellerman]. It wasn’t even shut”; Invoice Haney had even been struck by a bottle of beer when he and his son made their method again to his dressing room.

An hour earlier Devin Haney, like he was something aside from a long-term resident of Vegas and a profitable fighter, had been loudly booed when he was travelling in the wrong way to the ring, and Lomachenko – making an evocatively lonely journey – was equally loudly cheered, as he was each time he let his arms go.

Regardless of the widespread perception among the many media that Lomachenko had excelled and had deserved the choice, there was an acknowledgement of how tough had been most of the 12 rounds he shared with Haney to attain, and due to this fact that the 2 scores of 115-113 for Haney had been tough to object to. It was the 116-112 scorecard of Dave Moretti, and extra particularly the truth that he had given Haney three of the final 4 rounds, that had been extra troubling; even essentially the most cynical would regardless have needed to recognise that Lomachenko was the fighter who nonetheless had a contract with Prime Rank; Haney’s had run its course on the remaining bell.

On the events a really unjust determination is introduced the battle promoters can typically battle to masks an air of embarrassment and a sheepish edge. Some feign outrage; others genuinely really feel it. On the post-fight press convention these at Prime Rank betrayed no such factor, even when these among the many media, as a consequence of scrolling by their social media feeds and conversations that they had had for the reason that remaining bell – and maybe additionally troubled by the distressing photos of Lomachenko – had an elevated sense of conviction that Haney, irrespective of how spectacular he had been, had not deserved victory.

“That is the most important theft in the course of the day,” mentioned Lomachenko’s supervisor Egis Klimas once they arrived on the high desk, and earlier than a query had even be requested. “For the opposite group, Christmas got here in the summertime.

“We’re not going to let it go. I assure you we’re going to protest; we’re going to attraction that call. Anyone wants to finish this injustice. Anyone wants boxing put within the place it needs to be. It needs to be adjusted.”

“Throughout the entire battle I managed the battle,” Lomachenko mentioned. “All battle I perceive – [I’m] successful. So for me it was an enormous shock when [after] 12 rounds – I used to be certain I gained this battle. However it’s what it’s.

“I managed this battle. I managed each spherical. For me, it’s an enormous, massive query. ‘What occurred – within the consequence at present?’

“My father [and trainer Anatoly] at all times taught me – you might want to win with out query. [But] you overlook, [Haney’s] greater than me.

“100 per cent I don’t lose this battle. One time [in the fight] I had a foul state of affairs.”

The fighter defined that he had considered his son repeatedly phoning him throughout the day to say, “And the brand new…” when he had began to cry. He was then requested what extra he felt he might have completed to win and, nonetheless exasperated, he laughed.

“I don’t know,” he then mentioned – and he appeared to imagine it. “Each spherical, I come again to the nook, I perceive, ‘It’s my spherical’. Then the twelfth spherical, I perceive, ‘Perhaps I would like somewhat little bit of defence. I may give him this spherical. I don’t have to win this spherical’. Perhaps I don’t perceive boxing.”

Within the interval between his departure and the arrival of the 24-year-old Haney, BN relived a earlier dialog with Lomachenko’s revered cutman and cornerman Ross Anber, who had expressed considerations that the judges would do Lomachenko a disservice. That earlier than they left Klimas revealed that that they had beforehand questioned the choice of Moretti as a ringside official had merely offered an additional reminder of how merciless town of Vegas could be.

When the Haneys arrived they had been adopted by numerous mates, household and sycophants who unfold themselves evenly throughout the ballroom and willingly shouted “Allah” when 3 times Invoice Haney, by way of the microphone, shouted “Takbir”. “All praises resulting from Allah,” he then added.

“Tonight, one star has set and one star has risen,” the light-weight’s father, coach and supervisor grandly continued. “The king of boxing is right here. It’s Devin Haney.” A spherical of applause from the Haneys’ entourage then adopted, and was complemented by their aggressive calls of, “And nonetheless…”.

Devin Haney had by then already had an trade within the ring along with his rival Stevenson. For all the makes an attempt at cheerleading from these round him, he had additionally precisely learn the room in each the world – maybe helped in doing so by Stevenson – and the ballroom, even when he tried to recommend that by beating Lomachenko he had established himself because the world’s main fighter, pound-for-pound.

“I’ll discuss to my group and we’ll see what’s subsequent,” he mentioned. “Perhaps we battle at 140lbs, and see how I really feel and hold the belts at 135lbs and are available again at 135lbs in a battle that is smart. Or we would simply keep at 135lbs. I proved myself tonight towards a future corridor of famer. How far more do you guys need me to show? It’s such as you guys need me to maintain proving and proving and proving till I can’t show anymore.”