A Star Is Born

Haney thrashes Abdullaev to show his exceptional talent.

- Jack Hirsch

DIFFERENT promotional entities and network affiliations will prevent it from happening in the foreseeable future, but let’s imagine for a moment that Vasily Lomachenko agrees to make the next defence of his WBC lightweight title against his now mandatory challenger Devin Haney. Simply put, it would be off the charts.

Under normal circumstances it would be a tad ambitious for a 20-year-old who has not yet been tested on world level to take on the man considered by many to be the best in the world pound for pound - but Haney is a phenom, a generational talent the likes of which rarely come along.

Already comparisons are being made to his fellow Las Vegas resident Floyd Mayweather. And that does not only include Haney’s skill set, but a brashness as well in the way he has been repeatedly calling out “Loma”.

If this were an audition to work his way into Madison Square Garden’s main arena, then Haney aced it. Performing in front of what looked like a packed house in MSG’s smaller venue the Hulu Theater (Matchroom promoted), Haney dazzled in stopping Zaur Abdullaev at the end of the fourth round of a scheduled 12 for the WBC’s (ridiculous) interim lightweight title. Charlie Fitch refereed.

Abdullaev was outclassed, having suffered facial damage in the process. His corner is to be commended for stopping it when they did.

The Russian had come forward, but Haney was so quick he could never get untracked. Punches landed over and under with a cumulative effect. Haney was setting the table for the devastating knockout he had promised to deliver, but thankfully Abdullaev was spared that.