Devin Haney’s Last Five Fights: What Does it Mean for Jorge Linares?

Devin Haney is one of boxing’s brightest talents right now. The undefeated American has shown his skill multiple times in the ring. The combination of his speed, power, and defensive IQ have propelled him to the WBC lightweight belt.

Haney now takes his career to the next level on the weekend. He will face Jorge Linares as the main event of a stacked card. This will be his third title defense.

So as he prepares to face a former world champion, we look back at his last 5 fights and see what it means for Jorge Linares.

Last five opponents Devin Haney beat

1. Yuriorkis Gamboa: ‘The Dream’ comes into the bout on the back of a victory over an aging Yuriorkis Gamboa. It was the most difficult fight in his professional career.

And although Haney did not get the knockout victory, he dominated his opponent and took all 12 rounds on two judges’ scorecard.

2. Alfredo Santiago: The 25-0 boxer’s first title defense came against a relatively low-profile Alfredo Santiago. However, Santiago came into the bout unbeaten in his 12 bouts.

Despite this, Haney used his incredible movement to move in and out of the pocket and broke his opponent down. And after dropping him with a vicious shot in Round 5, Haney took home a landslide unanimous decision victory, winning every round on every judges’ scorecard.

3. Zaur Abdullaev: ‘The Dream’ became WBC interim champion when he beat Zaur Abdullaev in 2019. Haney took the fight to Abdullaev from the first bell and showed a different side of his game.

He fought in the clinch more and moved in and out of range, and destroyed his opponents with fast combinations. After four rounds of this, Abdullaev and his corner called off the fight.

4. Antonio Moran: Another fight that showed Haney’s power was his bout against Antonio Moran. Haney took a cautious approach to the fight and boxed on the outside for the first few rounds. However, he kept countering Moran’s approaches, and when he sensed Moran was hurt, Haney closed the show with a vicious knockout.

5. Xolisani Ndongeni: Haney faced South African Ndongeni back in 2019. ‘The Dream’ adopted a similar strategy to that of the Moran bout. He took his time and countered Ndongeni’s initial approaches and then stepped on the gas in the later round. Ultimately Haney took home the unanimous decision victory by winning all ten rounds on two of the three judges’ scorecards.

READ MORE: Was Devin Haney’s Father, Bill Haney, a Boxer?

What do Devin Haney’s last fights mean for Jorge Linares?

From his last five fights, it is clear Haney is the real deal. He showed he could box on the outside, as well as throw down in the clinch. However, some will question the quality of opposition. Regardless of the criticisms, what does it mean for his next opponent, Jorge Linares?

The Venezuelan will have to show Haney something he has not seen before. Moreover, he will have to find a way to hit the slick American who has shown incredible defensive skill in the last five bouts. Furthermore, he will have to use his experience and figure out Haney’s game plan early and try to adjust his plans.

Thus, it promises to be an exciting fight. Do you think Devin Haney will continue his unbeaten streak, or will Jorge Linares hand ‘The Dream’ his first loss?

READ MORE: Devin Haney’s Net Worth: Is He a Millionaire?