Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reports undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) and former three-division world champion Vasyl Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) will meet at the end of May with all four 135-lb titles at stake.
Arum says if Haney wins, he’ll likely move up to 140 and begin campaigning in that weight class.
That won’t make many boxing fans happy because they were hoping Haney would stay at 135 and face the murderer’s row of talented fighters in Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, Frank Martin & Keyshawn Davis.
If Lomachenko wins, Arum wants to match him against Shakur in the first defense of his four belts.
Currently, Arum is trying to determine the best venue to stage the Haney vs. Lomachenko fight. Given that Haney lives in Las Vegas, that would be an option, but he’s not a big draw, though.
That could mean that Arum will bring the fight to New York, which would take advantage of Lomachenko’s popularity in that city. It’s unclear why the 24-year-old Haney has failed to establish himself as a popular fighter.
It could be that he’s not fought any of the talented fighters at 135, as he won belts against George Kambosos Jr, who isn’t seen as a great talent by many Americans.
“We’re looking at the end of May, and we’re determining what the best site is for it,” said Top Rank boss Bob Arum to ID Boxing about the Devin Haney vs. Vasyl Lomachenko fight. “We’ll have an announcement hopefully within the week.
Will Haney make weight?
Having the Haney-Lomachenko fight to take place in May won’t be the ideal time for Haney to fight because he’ll be coming off Ramadan a month earlier, and he might have problems making the 135-lb limit.
Even if Haney comes in over the limit, the Lomachenko fight will still take place. The four titles would be up for grabs for Lomachenko, but not Haney. Depending on how far overweight Haney is, it could be an impossible task for Lomachenko.
Last week, Haney was photographed standing next to WBO welterweight champion Terence Crawford, and he was shockingly bigger than him, or at least as big.
While some fans claimed it was a photoshop job, if you look at Haney’s other recent photos, this is how big he is right now. He doesn’t look fat. He’s huge and clearly no longer a lightweight, and perhaps should now be fighting at 147.
Obviously, Haney won’t attempt to jump two weight divisions because he needs to develop his power before moving up to welterweight.
“Shakur is fighting an elimination match, and if Haney wins, he’ll probably go up to junior welterweight. If Lomachenko wins, he’ll stay at lightweight, and that’ll be a major, major battle, Lomachenko & Shakur Stevenson,” said Arum.
