Top Rank promoter Bob Arum was overheard by cameras telling Vasyl Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas that his fighter had won “easy” last Saturday night against Devin Haney in their fight on ESPN PPV.
The judges saw a different fight than Arum, scoring it for Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) by a twelve round unanimous decision the scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113.
Most boxing fans would agree that if this fight were scored a draw, there would have been few complaints because this contest was too close to be given to either guy.
Unfortunateely, the judges gave it to Haney, and he was promptly booed out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which probably didn’t make the judges feel too happy because their scoring created this.
Was it just a coincidence that the judges went with the younger fighter, the money guy with a long future ahead of him? Haney lives in Las Vegas, and he’ll continue to bring big business to the city for many years to come.
In contrast, Lomachenko is 35, not from the U.S., and only a handful of years left in his career. If Lomachenko had won, we’d have likely seen him defending the lightweight titles in New York rather than Las Vegas.
Bob Arum to Lomachenko’s manager Egis Klimas: “He won that fight easy. Easy.”
DiBella: Put some respect on Haney’s name
“In my mind, that was one of the closest fights I’ve seen in a long time. The rounds were very close,” said Lou DiBella to Fight Hub TV on the Haney vs. Lomachenko fight.
“I thought Devin built up a lead. I didn’t look at the scorecards, but on my scorecard, Devin’s bodywork, particularly early in the fight, was incredible. I thought that’s where he was getting the best of Loma, but Loma did some great things in there too.
“I had the fight getting tighter at the end. I thought Loma won more of the final section of the fight, but I had Haney up early. Some of the rounds were so close that I circled a bunch of my scores.
“Other than that one card [116-112], I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the other cards, and I think neither one of them deserved to lose.
“I understand why Loma is upset because when you fight that kind of fight, and you think you won, I can see how you’d be upset.
“I feel badly for Devin that he had to listen to boos when he fought a brilliant fight. I had Devin pulling away [in the middle of the fight], and then I had Loma pulling it closer at the end, but maybe not quite getting there, and that’s how the judges had it.
“I was almost expecting a draw a little bit. It was as close as it gets. Loma thought he clearly, clearly won. No, I didn’t think that at all.
“I know Bill [Haney] said it wasn’t close, but I don’t agree with that either. It was close, it was damn close, and the young guy won. The young undisputed guy won and put some respect on his name,” said DiBella.
