In the biggest shock since the quake in 1906, San Francisco saw Devin Haney tame Regis Prograis and rip the WBC super lightweight title away for his second division world title on Saturday.

“I did everything I said I was going to do,” said Haney.

It wasn’t even close in a match many deemed a 50/50 fight.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) returned to his old stomping grounds and showed Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) that he could be even more dominant as a 140-pounder in front of more than 16,000 fans at Chase Center in San Francisco.

“Tremendous difference,” said Haney about the extra weight. “I felt more strong.”

In a match pitting the pure boxer versus the big puncher, Haney showed that the extra weight put extra oomph in his blows and dropped Prograis with a counter right in the third round.

“I was down and I was what the f— happened to me,” Prograis said about suffering a knockdown. “His power did surprise. I thought he was a soft puncher.”

After the knockdown, Haney took complete control with a blend of moving to his left and dropping blows to the body and head with precision and pop. Prograis had to respect the power and could not find his way into range.

It was supposed to be Prograis’s vaunted left hand power that would control the fight. Twenty-four previous foes had not been able to survive the New Orleans native’s power. But against Haney, few if any Prograis lefts reached the target.

“We knew he was going to come in with a big left hand,” Haney said. “We took his left hand off the chess table.”

Prograis never quit but could not find a suitable distance to deliver his own blows. And when he moved in close with his head down he was staggered with a right uppercut. It nearly delivered Prograis to the canvas again in the sixth round.

“I went in there and hit him with a sharp right hand. He had a habit of leaning in,” explained Haney.

Though Haney was in control and seemingly able to deliver a knockout blow, he retained caution. Perhaps remembering the near knockdown against Jorge Linares several years ago.

“At times I wanted to go in there and hit him with big shots. But I told myself keep disciplined,” said Haney with calm confidence.

Prograis searched in vain to find an answer, but for a variety of reasons could not cut off Haney’s movement to the left and that kept the former undisputed lightweight world champion in complete control until the end of the match.

“He is just better, quicker than I thought he was. I just couldn’t get to him,” explained Prograis with candor.

After 12 rounds all three judges scored it 120-107 for Haney, the new WBC super lightweight titlist.

“Since a young kid my dream was to come back to the Bay Area and put on a big event,” Haney said.

And he did it without running.

Miyo Yoshida Beats Ebanie Bridges

Japan’s Miyo Yoshida (17-4) picked up her third world title and used that experience to defeat Australia’s Ebanie “Blonde Bomber” Bridges (9-2, 4 KOs)..

Yoshida is now the IBF bantamweight titlist and a two-division world champion.

After a first round that saw both fighters measuring each other at a distance, the second round opened up the fight to an inside whirlpool of punching. It never stopped.

Australia’s Bridges established in her last fight against fellow Aussie Shannon O’Connell that despite two-minute rounds, she could deliver a power knockout. She barged in with her head down punching with both hands primarily to the body.

It was a method that worked before but to Japan’s Yoshida, that style is common in her native country where aggressive boxing is preferred. She adapted.

“It became a war, so I decided to put everything to her,” Yoshida said.

Using her left jab as a measuring stick to both stop Bridges from charging in too far, Yoshida was able to connect with overhand rights and uppercuts. It was a tactic that paid off round after round.

After 10 two-minute rounds Yoshida was judged the winner 97-93, 99-91 twice.

“I always respected Ebanie,” said Yoshida. “She is a great champion.”

Other Bouts

Australia’s Liam Paro (24-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Montana Love (18-2-1, 9 KOs) in the sixth round to win a super lightweight regional title. Paro scored two knockdowns before the fight was stopped at 1:49 of the sixth round.

Cuba’s Andy Cruz (2-0) easily handled Mexico’s Jovanni Straffon (26-6-1) to win by knockout in the third round of the lightweight match.

Photo credit: Ed Mulholland / Matchroom

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