One power Gervonta Davis has that his biggest 135-pound opponents don’t have is punch power.
Devin Haney, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson are slick technicians but they are not known for their ability to end any fight instantly, like Davis.
That realization annoyed Haney, who was expected to defend his undisputed championship against Lomachenko in Saturday’s pay-per-view match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
At the same time, he made it clear that his goal is to win teamfights and preserve his health, not to end teamfights early.
Haney said on The Pivot Podcast: “The people who say I don’t have the knocking power are the ones who don’t get in the ring with me. “Nobody who fought with me ever said that. Watch every game and see what they say after the game. If I don’t have the knockdown power, come show me. Let’s go through all the punches that I will give you.
“Every war these guys face is defeated. I’ve come this far, so let’s get on with it.”
Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) has come a long way in a short time.
The 24-year-old from San Francisco won all four majors when he easily defeated George Kambosos Jr. in June last year in Kambosos’ home country of Australia and then rematched in October.
He doesn’t necessarily prove that he’s the best 135-pound athlete at the top heavyweight but he’s the only one who can call himself a true champion.
However, Haney’s success did not come from his strength. He hasn’t scored by knockout since 2019 and has never stopped a top opponent.
Obviously he’s not satisfied with the perception that he can’t hurt his opponent, as he made clear earlier, but he insists he doesn’t mind stopping the game. He has other goals.
“It’s great science, hit and don’t get hit,” he said. “It’s easy to say, ‘You hit me and I’ll hit you. I’ll get one to give you one.’ Anyone who doesn’t even know how to fight can do it. But to hit you as many times as I want and you can’t hit me, that’s an art. It’s a Picasso.
“Ultimately, I have a family and I want to have all my senses when I’m done. I will continue to do what I do, whether they like it or not. As long as I win and keep beating these guys easily.”
Indeed, Haney will largely rely on his discipline and elite skill set against Lomachenko (17-2, 11 KOs) on Saturday and subsequent meetings with Davis and Stevenson, if he and the others his controller can make those matches a reality.
He is determined to be remembered as a generational talent, no matter how hard he has to work.
“Nobody trains as hard as I do,” he said. “They don’t have the discipline, skills or IQ that I have. I have become different. I am one of the chosen few and I was born to do this. … When I started doing this, I didn’t want to be a mediocre boxer. Whatever I do, I want to be the best.
“I want my name to last longer than ever. I’m doing what I’ve seen great people do. Work ethic, discipline, that’s what I have to do.”
