The Avila Perspective, Chapter 16: The Unconventional Devin Haney and More

Raised for part of his youth among the neon lights of Las Vegas, teenage sensation Devin “The Dream” Haney races toward world title aspirations and the first road stop is Juan Carlos Burgos, a Mexican fighter who knows that road very well.

Undefeated Haney (19-0, 13 KOs) meets Tijuana veteran Burgos (33-2-2, 21 KOs) at Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula CA, on Friday, Sept. 29. The regional lightweight title fight will be televised by Showtime and is co-promoted by Devin Haney Promotions.

Though only 19, Haney is not your conventional teen.

Three years ago the articulate Las Vegas resident was happily racking up national titles in the amateur boxing world. Convention dictates that an amateur boxer with his talent should wait his turn and plan for participation in the Olympic Games.

Haney took a different tack.

“When I was in the amateurs I was too young to go to the Olympics. And once they took the head gear off I decided to turn pro,” said Haney, about the decision by amateur boxing to eliminate head gear during international competition in 2015.

But a big obstacle was the age limit for pro fighters in the U.S. Haney was only 17 and in Nevada and California the minimum age to become a professional is 18.

Haney took the unconventional route and headed toward Mexico where virtually no age limit exists.

“It made no sense. I was competing with top guys with no head gear and working for free,” said Haney who made his pro debut in December 2015 in Tijuana.

Mexico

Fighting across the border can be risky business. You never know what kind of fighter stands in front of you.

“A lot of people underrate the fighters in Mexico. They helped make me the fighter I am today. If a guy even gets close to punching me the crowd over there is going bananas. A lot of people don’t know,” said Haney who fought his first four professional bouts in the border city of Tijuana. “I fought in Tijuana twice in one week. Their fighters are not going to lay down. Their families and everyone are on their backs. If you get grazed, it’s a stoppage.”

Haney has crossed the border and fought a total of 10 times on boxing cards against fighters who have no hesitation about illegally hitting you behind the head, on the kneecaps, or follow up a left hook with the end of an elbow across the face.

It’s warfare.

Now Haney faces Burgos who grew up in the streets of Tijuana and has been toughened in sparring wars that took place in the many gyms sprouting up in Mexico’s second biggest city.

“It inspires me and motivates me because I know he’s the toughest guy I’ve fought today. He fought Mikey Garcia and he won rounds,” said Haney about Burgos fighting Riverside’s Garcia for the featherweight world title in 2014. “I know he’s going to bring the best out of me.”

Garcia has won world titles in the featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight divisions. Burgos fought him competitively and lost by decision in New York and now he gets a very young Haney.

“He’s (Haney) fought in Tijuana a bunch of times so I’ve seen him in person. I didn’t really pay that much attention to him at the time,” said Burgos. “He has ability. He’s hungry with good skills, but I don’t think he’s ready for a fighter like me. He’s too young and I’m an experienced fighter that knows how to win.”

Burgos, 31, is familiar to Southern California fans. He fought under the Thompson Boxing Promotions banner and has engaged in eight pro bouts in the area. He’s also fought three times for the world title including a draw against then super featherweight world champion Roman Martinez in 2013.

“It’s exciting to fight someone like Burgos with all of his experience,” said Haney.

Is it too soon for the Las Vegas speedster to face Burgos?

Riverside’s Henry Ramirez, who trains several local boxers, views Haney as a high caliber prizefighter.

“Haney has awesome talent,” said Ramirez. “Fighting all the time has sharpened his skills.”

Sharp or dull Haney won’t turn 20 until November but he’s in a hurry.

“I want to be a pound for pound, multi-division world champ and at the top of the game,” said Haney.

It all starts on Friday.

Top Rank in Oakland

A pretty good boxing card features world champions in Oakland on Friday, Sept. 28, at the Oracle Arena, home of the Golden State Warriors.

Jose Uzcategui (27-2, 23 KOs) holds the interim IBF super middleweight title and faces  Ezequiel Maderna in a non-title fight set for 10 rounds.

If you remember Uzcategui, he fought Andre Dirrell twice but in their first confrontation in May 2017, he knocked out the Michigan fighter at the bell and was erroneously ruled to have hit him after the bell. He was given the loss by the Maryland boxing commission though replays show that the knockout blow was delivered at the bell. Immediately after the knockout, Dirrell’s uncle jumped in the ring and attacked Uzcategui. Instead of banning the uncle, he was given a slap on the wrist.

Uzcategui and Dirrell had a rematch this past March in Brooklyn and once again the Venezuelan stopped the Michigan fighter in the eighth round. He’s getting a shot at the title eventually but first he has to face Argentina’s Maderna.

On the same Top Rank fight card IBF super flyweight titlist Jerwin Ancajas (30-1-1, 20 KOs) of the Philippines defends against Mexico’s Alejandro Barrios (16-2-4, 7 KOs). This is the southpaw Ancajas sixth world title defense.  He’s an exciting fighter and Tijuana’s Barrios gives everyone problems.

Another interesting bout features Rico Ramos the former super bantamweight world champion. The Southern Californian signed to fight recent former world titlist Jessie Magdaleno but the Las Vegas fighter pulled out.

Ramos (29-5, 14 KOs) now trains with master trainer Ben Lira and it will be interesting to see what new tricks they bring to the table. A new opponent, Daniel Olea (13-5-2), was brought in for Ramos and he’s ready to go. Meanwhile, Magdaleno, who departed from trainer Manny Robles Jr. and Southern California and returned to his home in Las Vegas, was apparently overweight. He pulled out last week.

Golden Boy in Indio

Former lightweight world champion Jorge Linares, whose last fight was a knockout loss to Vasyl Lomachenko, has moved up in weight and will fight as a super lightweight. He’s seeking a fourth division world title.

Linares (44-4, 27 KOs) faces Abner Cotto (23-3, 12 KOs) the relative of Puerto Rican great Miguel Cotto who promotes him. They’ll face each other in the main event set for 12 rounds at the Fantasy Springs Casino on Saturday Sept. 29. The Golden Boy Promotions fight card will be streamed on Facebook Watch.

The Venezuelan great was doing well against Lomachenko and knocked down the Ukrainian fighter in their clash in New York. He was stopped a few rounds later and quickly dispatched and forgotten. Meanwhile Lomachenko has been tabbed by many as the pound for pound king. For me it’s too early. Is Lomachenko among the best? Yes. Is he the absolute best? One major fight is not enough.

Also on the Golden Boy fight card is Oscar Duarte.

Mexico’s Duarte (14-0-1, 9 KOs) fights Venezuela’s Roger Gutierrez (19-2-1,16 KOs) in a lightweight clash set for eight rounds.

Duarte, 22, first arrived in Southern California in 2015 and fought at Belasco Theater. He showed brute strength but looked like he was stuck in cement. But the Golden Boy staff saw something in him and he was placed with Joel Diaz in Indio.

Under the brothers Diaz, the Mexican fighter from Parral, Chihuahua, has been transformed into a polished and deadly prizefighter. In his last bout at the same Fantasy Springs he took apart Filipino slugger Rey Perez, a very good fighter.

It’s always a thrill to see a young boxer with rudimentary abilities be molded and sculptured into a finely tuned fighting machine. That’s what has happened with Duarte under brothers Joel and Antonio Diaz.

Danny Roman

Speaking of finely tuned fighting machines, another great example of a good prospect sculpted into a world champion is Los Angeles-based Danny Roman, the WBA super bantamweight world champion.

When I first saw Roman he was a solid prospect but I never would have predicted him to be a world champion with two defenses in Japan.

The journey of Roman has been one of the highlights of my writing career. It’s a pleasure to see a boxer from the beginning and watch him slowly rise to the level of world champion.

Roman (25-2-1, 9 KOs) defends the WBA title against England’s Gavin McDonnell (20-1-2, 5 KOs) on Sat. Oct. 6, in the main event at Chicago, Illinois. It’s the first time he fights under the Matchroom Boxing banner alongside Thompson Boxing Promotions. The fight will be streamed live on DAZN.

Once again Roman will be facing an opponent who has five or more inches in height advantage. That makes four-in-a-row for the champion Roman.

He recently signed a contract with Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and this will be his debut. Look for more on Roman next week.

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