As anticipated, it was a chess match on the ring at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas this weekend. The fight for the undisputed lightweight championship between champion Devin Haney and Vasyl Lomachenko ended with a successful defense by the American in an impressive setting and after 12 excellent rounds.
The judges’ scorecards were 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113 for Haney to maintain his undefeated record and his World Boxing Association (WBA) super championship in addition to the WBC, WBO and IBF belts.
From the first moment it was evident that both had studied each other to perfection but also that they were ready to try different strategies and break any of the opponent’s tools that were presented in the fight.
Haney used very well the space on the ring to walk and counterpunch a Lomachenko who was cutting the steps and working especially with straight lefts that could quickly reach the face of the champion.
The American knew how to work the body very well and use his right when he had the chance. He was also able to connect his left hook to the Ukrainian’s face with regularity to score points on the scorecards.
“Loma” managed to overwhelm Haney in several passages and also counter the clinch and took advantage of those moments to hit in the short distance and limit that tool of Haney.
It was a fight full of strategy but also full of action in which both had good moments. Finally it was Haney who got the victory to guarantee his permanence as 135-pound monarch and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters of the moment.
The 24-year-old fighter reached 30 wins, with 15 knockouts. Lomachenko, meanwhile, now has 17 wins and 3 knockdowns.
