Vasiliy Lomachenko Analyzes Devin Haney’s Performance Against Jorge Linares: “Haney Was Trying To Survive, When I Fought Linares, He Was In His Prime”

By: Hans Themistode

Vasiliy Lomachenko is busy placing the ultimate ending touches on his coaching camp as he prepares to return to the ring towards light-weight contender Masayoshi Nakatani on June twenty sixth, on the Virgin Lodges, in Las Vegas, Nevada. However even because the Ukrainian is totally targeted on the duty at hand, he nonetheless took a little bit of time away from his busy schedule to flick on the tv and watch some boxing. Only a few weeks in the past, Lomachenko discovered one matchup, specifically, to be very intriguing.

Present WBC light-weight champion Devin Haney took on former multiple-time champion, Jorge Linares. Over the previous few months, each Haney and Lomachenko have exchanged verbal jabs with each other over the potential for a future showdown. Though Lomachenko believes he’ll punish Haney if the 2 ever did face off, he did give the 22-year-old his props for trying explosive within the ring.

“It was an excellent battle,” stated Lomachenko throughout an interview with SnowQueenLA. “He present us his ability. He’s a really sensible boxer.

Haney, a Las Vegas resident, used each weapon in his toolbox on that Saturday night time to tug off the win. Whereas he seemed spectacular for the overwhelming majority of their battle, Haney had severe issues happening the stretch.

On the tail finish of the tenth, Haney was rocked and visibly staggered to his nook. For the rest of their contest, Haney refused to let his fingers go and held Linares seemingly each second he may. Earlier than getting rattled, Lomachenko couldn’t assist however be impressed with the younger titleholder however contemplating how he completed the battle, all of the Ukrainian may do was shake his head in disappointment.

“He had an issue within the battle,” continued Lomachenko. “The final three rounds had been very laborious for him. No person is aware of if Linares catches him another time. Referee helped him just a little bit as a result of Haney at all times maintain the final three rounds. If the referee take away some extent from Haney, I believe it is going to be one other image.

“Haney was attempting to outlive. He was attempting to complete the battle in some way as a result of he couldn’t do anything. All he was capable of do was wrestle and maintain. That’s unlawful in boxing. By doing that, he was capable of keep away from the battle. However then once more, earlier than that one shot, he was successful the battle. He received this battle no query but it surely was not straightforward.”

Within the thoughts of many, the criticism of Lomachenko would appear a bit unfair. Having shared the ring with Linares roughly three years in the past, the pound for pound stalwart is aware of good and properly how tough he’s to beat. In Could of 2018, Lomachenko was caught with a straight proper hand from Linares and hit the deck for the primary in his profession. Regardless of the knockdown, Lomachenko shortly peeled himself up off the canvas to cease Linares within the tenth.

Lomachenko has no difficulty with anybody who brings up his hard-fought battle towards Linares. All that he asks, is that everybody use the right context when discussing it.

“It was flush. Yea I misplaced stability however I rise up and really feel good and was prepared to complete the battle. After I fought Linares, he was in his prime. It was three years in the past and I fought Linares with one hand as a result of I had an issue with my shoulder within the second spherical. Earlier than this knockdown, I didn’t have an issue. In my view, there’s nothing to match between Haney vs Linares and my battle vs Linares. It doesn’t imply something to me as a result of the time we fought Linares was completely different. He was on the high again then, proper now he’s an older fighter.”