Success in boxing is often measured as a victory, but for the 25-year-old seeking to make this next decade his era, the result that follows days later will trigger the same nervous anticipation that accompanies judges rendering a narrow fight.

For unbeaten Devin Haney, Saturday night’s WBC 140-pound title defense against Ryan Garcia is a referendum on his popularity, and the most tangible measuring stick of that are pay-per-view buys.

“We think we know who’s going to win this fight – Devin Haney’s going to win this fight – but a real win is [an abundance of] pay-per-view buys,” ProBox TV analyst Timothy Bradley Jr. said on Monday’s episode of “Deep Waters.”

“If it bombs, if it tanks … yes, you won the fight, but that’s a loss because everything you were projecting this fight would do for you, the fans didn’t tune in to watch your fight. So your credibility … it’s getting left at the door.”

Former undisputed lightweight champion Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is coming off a lackluster DAZN pay-per-view showing in December for his scintillating triumph over former 140-pound champion Regis Prograis.

Saturday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center against second-time title challenger Ryan Garcia marks a far truer gauge of Haney’s drawing power.

Last April, Garcia, also 25, generated a whopping 1.2 million pay-per-view buys on Showtime and PPV.com for his seventh-round TKO loss to unbeaten Gervonta “Tank” Davis in Las Vegas.

However this bout fares on DAZN and PPV.com will prove pivotal in future purse-split negotiations, “as you move forward and try to negotiate bigger fights down the line,” Bradley contends.

“‘Tank” Davis has shown he can sell. People come and watch him. If you want to fight him, you’ve got to bring something to the table.”

While Baltimore’s gritty Davis has knocked out 27 of his 29 opponents, the more technical Haney has finished just 15 of 31 foes.

By taking on the same man Davis fought only a year ago – and Garcia has boosted his Instagram following to 10.5 million – Haney’s ability to maintain a strong showing is critical to his future business interests.

“So watch those pay-per-view numbers [that emerge by] Tuesday morning,” Bradley said. “If they’re high, it’s a win-win for Devin Haney.”

Some feel Garcia zapped the card of some shine by behaving so erratically, both at news conferences and on social media, during this promotion. By doing so, there’s a sentiment that he’s been reduced to only a puncher’s chance in this meeting against his immensely disciplined former amateur boxing rival.

“I give Ryan Garcia a 1 per cent chance to land that left hook,” Bradley said. “If Ryan Garcia somehow pulls off this upset – oh, my gosh – I might as well quit commentary and leave the game alone. I just don’t see it happening.”

While Garcia can complement his fights with his iPhone, Haney is banking on the time-honored tradition of salesmanship based mostly on success inside the ring. 

Beating Garcia raises his profile as the future face of the sport who has expressed interest in becoming an undisputed champion for the second time with a talented, popular crew of fellow current and recent champions still to go, including Davis, Teofimo Lopez, Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and Subriel Matias.

But like Bradley said, victory Saturday night means so much more if the numbers that arrive a few days later also are viewed as a triumph.