Trainer Joel Diaz says he wants to see Devin Haney retire after his latest unengaging, boring fight last Friday night against Jose Ramirez at Times Square in New York City. Diaz felt that Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) was just running around the ring like a “rabbit,” not willing to stand and engage in exchanges with the former WBC and WBO light welterweight champion Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs).
Turki’s “Mistake”?
Haney isn’t taking Diaz up on his advice, because he will stay around long enough to get a giant payday in the rematch with Ryan Garcia. What happens after that is unknown. The chances of his retiring soon are nil. He’ll stay around as long as he’s getting millions for his fight. Haney’s reported purse for the Jose Ramirez fight last Friday was $10 million, which is a crazy number for a non-champion coming off a loss and a year-long layoff.
Diaz states that he’s never been a fan of Haney’s and wants him to hang up his gloves and let the “real fighters” fight. Devin defeated the carefully selected Ramirez by a wide 12-round unanimous decision, 119-109, 119-109, and 118-110.
Haney fought like an amateur, using movement, jabbing, holding frequently, and not exchanging. The constant circular notation around the ring made it hard for fans to watch. Turki Alalshikh picked him for his event, and what a mistake that turned out to be. Turki doesn’t realize that putting fighters like Haney on his cards hurts his events, angering fans. That goes for Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez, too. They’re both boring fighters.
“Devin, when he lets go of his hands, he lands. He has accuracy, and he’s fast. But why doesn’t he let go of his punches?” said trainer Joel Diaz to Fight Hub TV, talking about the timid style that Devin Haney uses. “Ramirez was pressuring the whole fight because he wanted to engage. Ramirez wanted to fight.”
Haney doesn’t let his hands go because he’s chinny, and afraid to get clipped. That loss to Ryan last year in April took a lot out of Haney mentally. He’s not likely to get it back. So, what we saw last Friday is how Haney will fight the remainder of his career.
“Rabbit” Tactics Criticized
“You’ve got to have a partner to exchange, but there was no partner for him,” said Diaz. “He was just chasing the rabbit [Haney] around the whole ring. He needs to retire, man. Devin Haney needs to retire, and he needs to let the real fighters get in the ring and perform.”
As long as people like Turki are around, giving Haney millions, he’s going to keep fighting. He won’t retire until the dough drives up, and he’s offered chump change for his fights. He won’t agree to it because he’ll have been spoiled already.
“I’ve never been a fan of his boxing. The only good fight I saw him was against [Jorge] Linares [in May 2021],” said Diaz. “Other than that, and I saw the fight because of Linares, not because of him. But these kinds of performances [against Ramirez], he should just retire.
“I like Ryan [Garcia], but once he got hit with a left hook [by Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero], what happened to that anger in you. When he fought the English kid, Luke Campbell. He got dropped, and he came back and demolished him,” said Diaz.
Ryan didn’t look anything like the fighter who had beaten Haney last year, and no one knows why he changes. He’s been sitting for a year, but he shouldn’t have looked this bad.
“Yesterday, he did totally the opposite. He got hit, and all he did was play it safe. I know I’m talking in desperation, but we need to see some fights. I’m very disappointed right now. I don’t care. The fans can say whatever, but we need to do something about this sport because we’re losing it due to performances like that,” said Diaz.