Before establishing himself as the man to beat at 135 pounds, Devin Haney acknowledged that Vasiliy Lomachenko reigned supreme as the division’s top dog.
Still, even with the Ukrainian holding firm to a majority of the lightweight titles at one point, Haney believed that he was more than capable of usurping him.
Ultimately, despite being in the mandatory position several years ago, Lomachenko opted against facing the up-and-coming star in lieu of a unification bout against Teofimo Lopez.
Fast forward just a few short years later, and the two have come full circle, albeit in completely different positions of power. With Haney now in position of the IBF, WBA, WBO, and WBC lightweight titles, Lomachenko is on the verge of challenging him for his undisputed throne.
Although unofficial, a target date of sometime in late May has emerged as a likely scenario. Teofimo Lopez Sr., much like the rest of the world, is eager to see the two square off. And while Haney will enter their bout as a healthy favorite, the loquacious trainer doesn’t believe he has what it takes to get the job done.
“Listen, I got Lomachenko winning that fight,” said Lopez Sr. to BoxingScene.com.
Lopez Sr., of course, knows the former two-time Olympic gold medalist extremely well. However, despite leading his son to an unlikely victory over him in 2020, Lomachenko appears to be on the downside of his career.
After spending a protracted amount of time aiding his native land in the ongoing Russian invasion, the 34-year-old made his return to the ring in October against the highly ranked Jamaine Ortiz.
In spite of being viewed as a gargantuan favorite, Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) struggled mightily before eking out a unanimous decision victory on the night. Haney, on the other hand, spent his 2022 ending his ongoing beef with George Kambosos Jr.
Although the flamboyant American holds a perfect and dominant record, Lopez Sr. remains unimpressed with his overall skills. In totality, the 24-year-old’s refusal to sit down on his punches and produce more on the offensive end, will lead to his downfall, if and only if, Lomachenko isn’t a shell of his former creative self.
“Devin Haney doesn’t do enough to win fights. All he uses is his jab and he stays on the outside. He’s not gonna be able to do that shit with Lomachenko if he fights the Lomachenko we fought.”