Trent Reinsmith
- What: Undisputed Lightweight Title Fight
- Who: Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko
- Date: Saturday, May 20, 2023
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
- How to Watch: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View
Two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world face off on May 20 in Las Vegas when undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney puts his long list of lightweight titles (WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and The Ring) on the line against Vasiliy Lomachenko, who once held all but the IBF lightweight belt. The Ring has the two men as the top two fighters in the lightweight ratings. Lomachenko is also on The Ring pound-for-pound ratings at No. 7. Here is some background on the fighters before we dig into the Haney vs. Loamachenko betting breakdown.
The 24-year-old Devin Haney has a 29-0 record with 15 knockout wins. He held the WBC belt going into his June 2022 matchup against George Kambosos Jr. Haney won that contest with a unanimous decision. With the win, he became the undisputed 135-pound champion. Haney defended his titles in October by handing Kambosos another unanimous decision setback.
At 35, Vasiliy Lomachenko has a 17-2 professional record with 11 knockout wins. The winner of Olympic boxing gold medals in 2008 and 2012, Lomachenko lost a decision to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020. That loss cost Lomachenko the WBA, WBO, and The Ring lightweight belts. Lomachenko is 3-0 since his loss to Lopez. He is coming off an October 22 unanimous decision win over Jamaine Ortiz.
Before we look at the lightweight title fight between Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko, check out the betting picks for the upcoming Gervonta “Tank” Davis vs. Ryan Garcia bout and the best boxing betting sites.
Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko picks
| To Win Undisputed Lightweight Title |  |  |  |
| Vasiliy Lomachenko | +210 | +205 | +187 |
| Devin Haney | -270 | -255 | -270 |
Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko prediction and pick
One key to beating Lomachenko is pressure, pressure, and more pressure. Lopez kept Lomachenko on his back foot, and that earned Lopez the victory. Haney has the skills and style to follow that blueprint, but can he sustain that pressure? Haney does a nice job setting up power shots with a jab. However, he doesn’t need to land a power punch to control the fight. The expectation that a second strike will follow the jab will keep Lomachenko from getting set for his power punches. Haney’s footwork is excellent and, again, this is something Lopez used against Lomachenko in their matchup.
Lomachenko has a good lead cross, which he can mix up by changing levels. Lomachenko might also be able to exploit Haney’s lack of defense in the open. Of the two, Lomachenko is the more skilled fighter in close and he can do a lot of damage in the clinch. It’s in tight quarters where Lomachenko uses his excellent footwork to score after creating angles. However, his footwork is not great when he backs up, as he sometimes crosses his feet, making himself vulnerable while being off balance.
Lomachenko is a slow starter, but that is part of his game plan. He uses the early rounds to gather data and plan his offense later in the fight. Haney needs to take advantage of that and pick up as many points as possible.
Who has the edge
The old saying that styles make fights is accurate in the case of Haney vs. Lomachenko. If Haney can control the pace and keep Lomachenko on his back foot for most of the fight, he should be able to bank enough rounds to get the win. However, if Haney allows Lomachenko the time and space to pick up on his tendencies and also allows Lomachenko to get inside on him, the fight could go Lomachenko’s way.
Something else to wonder about this matchup is if age and the number of fights (pro and amateur) on Lomachenko’s record have caused him to slow down. As for Haney, this could be his last fight at lightweight since he cuts a lot of weight to make that limit.
Best Haney vs. Lomachenko bets
This fight is going to come down to who can control the distance. One of the best value bets for Haney vs. Lomachenko will be to bet on the rounds. Haney has not had a KO win since 2019, and Lomachenko has gone the distance in four of his past five outings. It would be a shock to see this fight not go the 12-round distance.
Because of the odds, the value bet in this contest is to go with Lomachenko. However, I am going to make a different bet. The best bet for Haney vs. Lomachenko is to pick Haney to win via decision He has the skills and the blueprint, via Lopez, to defeat Lomachenko. As long as he can stay focused, Haney should get the decision win and remain the undisputed lightweight champion.
Best bet for Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko: Devin Haney to beat Vasiliy Lomachenko via decision.
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