Haney vs Loma: Lightweight legends go face to face at opening press conference
Devin Haney labels undisputed clash with Vasiliy Lomachenko as a 'legacy fight'
The undisputed lightweight king, Devin "The Dream" Haney, is ready for the pay-per-view spotlight. Haney will defend all the belts against former three-weight world champion and pound-for-pound king Vasiliy "Loma" Lomachenko on Saturday, May 20, at MGM Grand Garden in Arena in Las Vegas.
The two met face-to-face for the first time Thursday in Los Angeles at the official kickoff press conference. Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) will make his second defense as undisputed champion after a pair of victories over George Kambosos Jr. in Australia last year. Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) has won three straight bouts since losing his lightweight titles to Teofimo Lopez in 2020.
Haney vs. Lomachenko will stream live on Top Rank on ESPN+ PPV, the exclusive digital distributor for the event in the United States, beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT. The PPV will be priced at $59.99 and additionally be available via cable and satellite pay-per-view providers.At the press conference, this is what the fighters and Top Rank chairman Bob Arum had to say:
Bob Arum: “I’ve seen hundreds of great matches over the years. But when I see a match like this, it stirs my blood because it is such an interesting fight to watch. Anyone who considers themself even remotely a boxing fan has to be attracted to this fight. It has all the elements of the great fights of the past. These are two top fighters who have all the skills and determination to make it a great battle. Saturday night on May 20 at the MGM Grand, I’m looking forward to one of the historic fights in the sport of boxing.”
Devin Haney: “I’m blessed to be here. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve been wanting this fight since 2019. I’ve been begging for it and calling for it. The time has finally come. The tables have turned this time around. When he had the belts, he didn’t want to fight me. But it’s a fight where I truly believe I am the better fighter. I’m the better competitor. I will be victorious. I’m happy that the time has finally come.
“This is a legacy fight for me. Loma at one time was No.1 pound-for-pound. A few months ago, he was higher than me on the pound-for-pound list. Now that the fight has been made, he has dropped off the pound-for-pound list. But it is what it is. We know what type of fighter he is. He deserves to be on the pound-for-pound list. Not above me, but definitely on the list. But this is a legacy fight. This is a real fight. This is not an influencer fight. This is really for the belts. This is for the gold. This is possibly to determine the best in the world as well.
“The better the opposition, the better I am. Loma is a good fighter. But I’m on a totally different level. On fight night, the world will see that. The world will see how good Devin Haney really is.”
Vasiliy Lomachenko: “I’m excited for May 20. This is my second chance, and I will try my best. Thank you to Team Haney for the opportunity. We are all prepared for this.
“You can’t think about your future when there’s a war coming to your house. You just think about life and about your family and about the people around you. You think about how you can live another day. You can’t think about your job. You can’t think about a professional sport.
“We never know what will happen. We can prepare for one strategy, but in the ring it can all change. Right now, I don’t know. I just train hard and prepare. I believe in God and in my team.”
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Devin Haney Promotions and DiBella Entertainment, tickets starting at $104, plus applicable service charges, go on sale Friday, March 31 at 10 a.m. PT and will be available to purchase at axs.com.
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