All signs are pointing toward a showdown between undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko to take place in the first half of 2023.

Top Rank boss Bob Arum promotes both fighters and he’s indicated that the fight’s going to happen.

Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) plans on observing Ramadan, which takes place from March 22 to April 21. 

The practicing Muslim Haney’s preference is to fight before Ramadan, a stance he’s stood firm on. 

Haney and father, trainer, and manager Bill Haney met with Arum shortly before Christmas to hash out the details. 

“It was a good meeting. I'm willing to fight whenever, wherever. I've said this numerous times. I should have the say and the power to determine when I'm fighting,” Haney told Thaboxingvoice. “These promoters and networks really have all the say, if you realize. As much as we fighters wished we had the say, what can we do? I love to fight, no matter when it is. I'm going to be victorious. March, May. Whoever, whenever. I'm going to be ready. But I would love to do it before Ramadan.” 

Haney easily outpointed George Kambosos Jr. in June and October in Australia.

Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) also returned in October in a spirited bout with Jamaine Ortiz, which ended in a unanimous decision win for the Ukrainian. 

Haney and Lomachenko squared off in the middle of the ring immediately after the fight. 

“He was definitely a lot smaller than I thought he was,” said Haney. “A lot of people say he's not a real lightweight. He is a smaller guy. The lightweight division is not really his class. He's also been winning at the weight, so you can't say that ... He's been at this weight class now for a while. He's had time to set in.”

Haney stands at 5 foot 8 inches while Lomachenko is an inch shorter, according to their BoxRec profiles. But the side-by-side comparison on the screen appears to favor Haney even more. 

Haney also went on to say that Lomachenko’s matrix-like moves don’t bother him. 

“He might be a master [boxer] to Bob but he's not a master to me. He's a fighter and human just like me. I will show that he ain't no master,” said Haney. 

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com or on www.ManoukAkopyan.com.