Devin Haney continues to express respect and even a level of admiration for upcoming opponent Jorge Linares. After having recently said that he believes Linares is “by far the biggest step up” he’s faced to date, Haney expanded on what he respects about the veteran ex-champ.
“I am expecting a firefight and I can’t wait,” said Haney. “We don’t know what Jorge will turn up, but I am ready for anything, and I can’t wait to show it.
“Jorge brings so much to the table. Speed, power, ring IQ, experience against the best of the best, and I think he’s the type of opponent that will bring the best out of me, make me bring out my A-game, take it to the next level, the elite level.
“People think he will have success, some think he will even win the fight, and that’s why it will show that I am elite and one of the best, if not the best, in the world.”
How to Watch Haney vs Linares
Date: Saturday, May 29 | Start Time: 8:00 pm ET
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena – Las Vegas, NV
Streaming: DAZN
Online Coverage: BadLeftHook.com
Haney (25-0, 15 KO) will be defending the WBC lightweight title against Linares (47-5, 29 KO), who hasn’t fought since a Feb. 2020 wipeout win over Carlos Morales, originally intended to set him up for a spring date with Ryan Garcia, which was scrapped due to COVID lockdowns.
The 22-year-old Haney was last out on Nov. 7, dominating Yuriorkis Gamboa over 12 rounds in a fight that took a lot of criticism, both before due to the matchmaking and after due to Haney not putting on much of a show in victory, however fair the latter criticism might be, in your opinion.
Whether or not this one will deliver a “firefight” is certainly up for some debate. That’s just not Haney’s style, and while Linares may try to press action to see if the kid can handle it — and against a skilled opponent — Jorge’s really at his best as a boxer-puncher, too. Boxers “expect” and “promise” lots of action all the time. But the real bottom line is it’s a good matchup, a good fight, and when you have that, there’s always a chance the action goes to a level you may not see coming, because the skills of both are pushed to another tier.