The first round was a close one. Lomachenko landed a few combinations and scored a nice right to the body but Haney fought back well.
Round two was a bit more even. Lomachenko landed a nice straight left but was countered by a jab and a couple of hard right hands from Haney.
1. Height
There is a lot on the line for both fighters in this fight. For Lomachenko it is a chance to prove that his era of dominance at two weight classes isn’t over. He has won world titles at featherweight and super-featherweight, but he has never been undisputed champion at lightweight. Haney on the other hand, wants to make a statement at the MGM Grand Garden Arena that he is the best lightweight in the world.
Haney is a high-IQ boxer with a good chin. He can hold his own against some of the best power punchers in the sport, but he doesn’t have the kind of devastating shot that could end any of his opponents early. He will need to use his height and reach advantage in order to keep Lomachenko from establishing an early rhythm.
Lomachenko is an incredible footwork artist and uses it to create angles that his opponents can’t see. His deft footwork can easily neutralize the advantages that Haney has in size and height.
The first round was a close affair, with Lomachenko taking a little bit of time to find his feet in the fight. However, as the round progressed, Lomachenko grew into it and started to land more and more punches. Haney fought back well, using his jab to keep Lomachenko at bay and then attacking him when he could.
2. Weight
Two-time Olympic gold medal winner Lomachenko is attempting to become the undisputed champion at lightweight, a status that has eluded him throughout his professional career. Lomachenko, 35, is the younger man in this fight but Haney’s height and power should be enough to give him a chance to win.
The opening rounds were cagey with neither fighter able to assert themselves early on. But as the rounds went on, Haney began to take advantage of the size difference and landed some solid body shots in round three. He also managed to land a couple of counter right hands and showed no signs of being overwhelmed by the Ukrainian’s skills.
Round four saw the pair trade punches as they stayed locked in a tight tussle. However, it was Lomachenko who took control in the final quarter of the round and began to pound away at the American. He threw a series of eye-catching combinations, some of which came from improbable angles and were impossible to avoid.
Round five was the worst for Haney as he tried to use his jab to create distance and caught himself on the end of some wild home run swings from the challenger. Lomachenko also managed to find his range and threw a flurry of left uppercuts that kept the challenger on his back foot.
Round six was another good round for Haney as he landed some clean, sharp body shots to take some of the momentum out of the bout. But the manic final round would see both fighters trade punches and it was hard to tell who was the better fighter on the night. Ultimately, Lomachenko’s accuracy and power proved to be the difference in the fight.
3. Technique
Vasiliy Lomachenko and Devin Haney fought to a close points decision in Las Vegas. The American retained his unbeaten record and the WBA and IBF lightweight titles by outpointing Lomachenko on all three scorecards.
This was a fascinating fight between two supremely skilled boxers at the peak of their powers. The ebbs and flows of the battle were exhilarating. Lomachenko used his height and reach to dominate in the early rounds, while Haney threw combinations that had Lomachenko on the back foot.
The fight was close throughout but Haney started to catch up in the final few rounds. He threw some lovely combination with his jab and began to pierce Lomachenko’s defence with short straight punches. He also snapped the champion’s head back with a couple of good body shots.
Despite these flashes of brilliance, Lomachenko still seemed to have the edge in terms of speed and accuracy. He did not seem to have the same power as his previous fights but he intermittently landed flurries of short, straight punches and kept Haney at bay.
Lomachenko’s best days may be behind him, but he is a formidable fighter and still capable of winning big fights at the very top of his weight class. He has a very high knockout percentage for a lightweight and will use his advantages in height and reach to control distance and outbox his opponent. However, if Lomachenko takes Haney lightly, he will have a very difficult fight on his hands. Lomachenko will need to bring a more complete performance than his last contest against Teofimo Lopez in order to win this fight.
4. Style
Haney is a good counter puncher and will try to back Lomachenko into a corner where he can unleash some power shots.
Lomachenko is a beautiful technician with a high boxing IQ and great footwork. He’s a two-division champion and has an almost untouchable record with a perfect 15-0 mark. However, he is not a natural lightweight and the rigors of fighting two divisions above his normal weight will likely take their toll on him.
In addition, while he has a lot of experience at lightweight, he does not have the same level of physical conditioning that many other top competitors in the division. It’s possible that Lomachenko will tire early from the physical demands of the division and will lose steam in the second half of the fight.
Round 2
Loma starts quickly with a jab and combination to the body. He moves around Haney’s counters and lands a nice straight left hand as he pressures him. Haney responds with a solid flurry of combinations and a hard right hook to the body.
Round 3
Haney tries to reclaim some of the momentum in the third with an early flurry of combos but Lomachenko is always looking for an opening. He catches a counter from Haney with a strong right and then lands a big left to the head.
5. Gameplan
As many expected, Lomachenko and Haney made for an intriguing fight. They ebbed and flowed in a way that kept the crowd at the MGM entertained throughout the entire 12 rounds.
Round 1
Lomachenko pressed forward and attacked Haney’s body early on. He landed some solid left hands to the ribs and got into some decent combinations. Haney did his best to answer with a jab and a counter left.
Both fighters traded shots in the second round with Lomachenko having some success. He threw his trademark combinations with some accuracy and had success landing a couple of big right hands to the body. Haney did a good job of using his size advantage and was able to keep Lomachenko at bay by circling him.
Round 3
Loma lands a quick combination to the head and body while Haney catches him with a jab. Haney then sunk in a hard right to the ribs and caught a nice counter left hand as well. It was a close round and both men will feel they did enough to win it.
Round 4
Lomachenko is continuing to attack with his combos and catching Haney with some solid left hooks to the head and body. The American can’t seem to find his way inside and is getting stifled by the champion’s movement.
In the fifth and sixth rounds, Lomachenko picked up his pace a bit and started putting in a more virtuoso performance. Haney tried to get inside but couldn’t break through the champ’s smothering defense. The American did a better job of connecting with his straight right hand in the seventh and eighth round as well as throwing some sharp counters to the body.
