Regis Prograis’ strength coach Evins Tobler sees IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias as the toughest test for WBC champ Devin Haney among the four belt-holders at 140.
Tobler feels that the punching power of Matias (20-1-1, 20 KOs) will be a problem for Haney (31-0, 15 KOs), but he still favors him over the Puerto Rican fighter.
He notes that Haney’s team has trained him to escape from big punchers, and he compares him to a cat with his mobility. I don’t see this as a good fight.
With my ten years of boxing knowledge, I see Haney using his hit, run & hold style to win a boring decision with the fans booing him all night, including when he’s giving his post-fight interview. In other words, it’ll be a repeat of Haney’s controversial win over Vasily Lomachenko.
Tobler says that it won’t be a good fight if Matias can’t get to Haney, meaning it would be boring like his last contest against Prograis. Haney made that an unwatchable fight due to his movement, which he did for 12 rounds to evade Prograis’s big shots.
Tobler sees WBA 140-lb champion Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz as too small and would be outboxed by Haney. As for Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez, Tobler feels they’re too mentally up and down.
Haney’s Track Record Against Punchers
“Matias poses a threat because he can punch, but it’s difficult to catch a cat. You’ve got to be able to cut the ring off,” said Regis Prograis’ strength coach Evins Tobler to Fighthype when asked if IBF light welterweight champion Subriel Matias can beat Devin Haney.
The movement that Haney uses to win fights comes at a cost to him in terms of his popularity or lack thereof. Because Haney is a mover, fans don’t want to pay to watch his fights because they’re not entertaining.
It’s like bringing back a slower version of Floyd Mayweather Jr. to this era and trying to sell his fights to fans accustomed to seeing entertaining fights.
They wouldn’t buy Floyd’s fights because he has a boring style. It’s the same thing with Haney, but far worse because Hie has no personality.
“Haney’s team has been successful at getting away from big punchers. I like Matias. Teofimo is on the mental up and down stage like [Ryan] Garcia,” said Tobler.”Then you’ve got Pitbull. He’s a Pitbull, but I think he’s too small. Devin would probably box circles around him.
Matias: Haney’s Toughest Test?
“Yeah, Matias will probably be his toughest fight,” said Tobler, describing his belief that Matias will be the toughest fight for WBC light welterweight champion Devin Haney. “I don’t think the other guys will pose a threat to Haney.
It’s predictable that Haney would fight Matias the same way that he did Prograis by moving a lot, and clinching whenever he got close enough to land a shot. Haney fights like a blend of Richardson Hitchins and Shakur Stevenson.
If the two had a baby, it would be Haney. he’s a perfect blend of those two, and not someone that is going to stand and fight Matias or any slugger. That’s not part of his makeup. Hence, he’ll never be a PPV star or someone who will sell tickets.
“It ain’t no 50-50 fight. The style of Matias. He comes forward. I would go 65-35, with Devin being 65,” said Tobler. “Matias 35 has got a shot. Haney don’t want to get hit by Matias, so they’re going to figure out something to get him away. Matias is coming forward.
“If you’re coming forward and you can’t hit, it’s not going to be a good fight,” said Tobler.
