Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko: Fight Odds, Live Stream, Predictions
Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KO) looks to add a big win to his resume when he meets Vasiliy Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KO) in Las Vegas with Haney's WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO and The Ring lightweight titles on the line.
Haney has established himself as the top lightweight in the world right now, but that's a distinction that has to be earned every time he steps in the ring. The 135-pound division is shark-infested water and Lomachenko is one of those sharks.
The Ukrainian challenger is a former titleholder himself and has just one loss since 2015, a unanimous decision to Teófimo López in which he lost the WBA (super), WBO and The Ring titles.
Now, at 35 years old, he has the opportunity to win them back after winning three consecutive fights.
Here's all the info you need to catch for the fight as well as the latest odds and a prediction for the big bout.
Fight Schedule, Live Stream and Odds
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When: Saturday, May 20 at 8 p.m. ET (main-event ringwalk approximately 11 p.m.)
Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Live stream: ESPN+ PPV
Odds: Haney -270 ($270 bet wins $100); Lomachenko +220 ($100 bet wins $220)
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook
Top Storylines
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Can Lomachenko Overcome Size and Age Differential?
Vasiliy Lomachenko mostly made his name in smaller weight classes when he was a younger fighter.
The 35-year-old won his first world title in just his third fight when he defeated Gary Russell Jr. for the WBO featherweight title in June 2014. The southpaw went on to win belts at junior lightweight and lightweight, but as he's gone up in weight, the fights have become more competitive.
Haney, 24, may wind up winning titles in multiple weight classes too. A move to 140 pounds could be in the offing as he gets older and the cut down to 135 pounds becomes more difficult.
Essentially, Lomachenko is a small lightweight who is likely the heaviest he will ever fight.
Haney is more than a decade younger and has a future as a super lightweight and possibly a welterweight. Lomachenko is an excellent technical boxer, but Haney has shown his own prowess. The most difficult obstacle for the challenger is going to be outmaneuvering the bigger, stronger and younger fighter.
Is This Haney's Final Appearance in the Lightweight Division?
While Lomachenko is trying to re-climb the lightweight mountain, this could be the swan song for Haney in the 135-pound division.
A fight with Lomachenko is something that Haney has wanted for a long time. In an interview with ESPN, he alluded to the fact that he could have already made the move up to 140 pounds but specifically stayed to prove that he wanted to fight Loma.
"I could go up to 140 and go do whatever, but I want to prove myself. I want to show the world that this is the guy that you guys said was that guy. No, I'm that guy," Haney told Mike Coppinger.
Haney still has quite a bit of work to do if he wants to become a legitimate star in boxing. He doesn't have great knockout power, so he's going to have to build his fame with plenty of titles and wins over big names.
Lomachenko qualifies as a big name, but Haney isn't going to find himself at the top of pound-for-pound lists by continuing to pick off lightweights. He will need to move up and prove himself at a heavier weight to maximize his stock.
If he can dispatch of Lomachenko, it would make sense that he eyes the next division.
Prediction
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Devin Haney is the deserving favorite here and it could be a blowout.
Lomachenko is a great technician of a boxer. The way he works angles and uses his boxing acumen to close gaps in athleticism and speed is impressive. But he does his best work on the inside, and that could be a problem against Haney.
When López beat Loma, he did so on the strength of his jab and the ability to keep Lomachenko on the outside.
Haney is even bigger than López and is a better technician. Don't expect a ton of fireworks in this one. Haney is going to fight a smart fight, and he'll need to be on his game at all times to keep Lomachenko at bay.
But he has all the tools to execute that kind of game plan and get a decision win.
Prediction: Haney via unanimous decision
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