This year is full of trying to make its place with the rising stars in the lightweight division. Twenty-one-year-old Devin Hayne was the latest 135-pound star to retain his WBC World Championship on Saturday at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood Hollywood, Florida, with a huge decision on Saturday at the Uriarkis Gamboa.
Hayne quickly established the rhythm of the fight, locked the gap and worked from the jaw. Gamboa, the short fighter, almost immediately ran out of his elements, stuck in a series where he couldn’t effectively get his shots on Henny’s chin as he slowly parted.
Honey maintained the rhythm by a majority of the fights. Unable to get an effective offense, Gamboa made rounds after rounds on the scarecards, enabling him to move and lift easily.
Under the pull, Hayne tried to increase his offense by knocking out and trying to make a statement. While Gamboa’s chin caught up – he faced 15 knockdowns in his professional career given the surprising situation – the increase in power from Haney forced him to seize the challenge repeatedly, which reduced the point for holding in Round 11.
Haney did not need a point deduction, however, as Gamboa’s chances on the scorecards faded.
After 12 rounds, the fight was handed to the Ringside judges, who rotated the scorecard to 118-109, 120-107 and 120-107, all for Haney, who improved to 25-0 in his career.
“I thought I’d put on a world-class performance,” Haney said after his win. “Of course I wanted a knockout, but he was a skilled pte and he caught a lot. … I knew he was going to come in and do something to live and he did it.”
The victory keeps alive a potential lightweight integration pact with IOF, WBO and WBA World Title winner Teofimo Lopez after his stunning defeat of Vasily Lomachenko in October. Haney voiced the need for Lopez to claim to be the undisputed champion, but was criticized by many for fighting with Gamboa, who is not seen as a top fighter at 135 pounds and is often considered one of the best when fighting two weight classes. Its prime past decades.
Fellow young star Ryan Garcia has his own big fight, meeting former Luke Campbell, who is considered a big step for the 22-year-old. Also, WBA “regular” lightweight champion Garvanta Davis – who beat Gamboa this past December – faces a disastrous knockout of the candidate of the year against Leo Santa Cruz in the Halloween Night Pay-View headliner.
Despite criticism of matchmaking and even big steps taken by other young lightweights, Haney fulfilled his primary responsibility and won to stay the world champion and stay in position for a bigger and better fight. And he made it clear that the fight with Lopez was at the top of his wish list.
“The one with the rest of the stripes is Teofimo Lopez, so that’s what he wants to be,” Haney said.
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CBS Sports was with you all the way through Saturday. Read the highlights of the round-by-round breakdown and night action.
Honey vs Gamboa card, results
- Devin Haney (C) Def. Euryorcis gamboa by unanimous decision (118-109, 120-107, 120-107)
- Philip Hragovich Def. Rydale Book fifth round T.K.O.
- Zhang Zilei Def. Fourth-round TKO by Devin Vargas
- Reshat clay deaf. Marcos Mojica, second round T.K.O.
- Raymond Ford Def. Third round TKO By Rafael Reyes
