Devin Haney Survives Scare to Overcome Jorge Linares in Las Vegas  

Youth beat experience but not by a lot as Devin Haney remained undefeated by unanimous decision over Jorge Linares in an extremely competitive lightweight clash on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) could have chosen the easy path but decided to match blows in the pocket with former multi-division world champion Linares (47-6, 29 KOs) and almost paid the ultimate price at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

Luckily, the Las Vegas resident was able to navigate his way to victory despite a rocky last four rounds.

Fans were finally able to attend a Las Vegas fight card after more than a year because of the pandemic. They saw two technically proficient fighters trade blows and strategy for 12 back-and-forth rounds.

Haney came out firing jabs and combinations to quickly gain momentum in the first three rounds. Linares was content to feel out the flashy youngster and seemed content to look for counter left hooks.

The speed of Haney was evident but slowly Linares began finding the range for his quick counters. But he found more success when he unloaded his three and four-punch combinations. They landed every time.

Haney could have hit and moved his way to victory. It could have been a very easy runaway victory. But this is prizefighting and the Las Vegas fighter knows all about professional fighting. He opted to stay in close and match blows within distance and the fans enjoyed the process.

But sometimes the price of fighting in the pocket pays an unforgiving price and during rounds six and 10, Haney almost paid the ultimate debt but survived to his credit. He was staggered with a four-punch Linares salvo at the end of the 10^th and wobbled back to his corner.

“He hit me with a good shot but I survived,” said Haney. “This is boxing you are going to get hit with big shots.”

After 12 rounds all three Nevada-based judges scored it for Las Vegas native Haney 116-112 twice and 115-113. It was a well-earned victory and he retains a version of the WBC lightweight title.

The win by Haney puts him in the running with any of the mega-talented lightweight division against the likes of Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia or Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

WBC Female Title Fight

Chantelle Cameron (14-0, 8 KOs) erupted in aggressive fashion to keep former champion Melissa Hernandez (23-8-3) in reverse and won by a surprise referee stoppage to retain the WBC super lightweight world title.

Cameron came one firing and Hernandez seemed stuck in mud for the first two rounds, but slowly the slower and older fighter seemed to be getting the rust out with counters and slips.

In the fourth round both fighters exchanged blows and Hernandez seemed to be shoved down and the referee signaled it was a knockdown. Hernandez was surprised by the call and then Cameron attacked to finish the fight. Both furiously exchanged until the end of the round.

Hernandez seemed to finally have the rust off.

Cameron continued her tactical advance in the fifth round and when she connected with a lead right to the chin of Hernandez the referee abruptly ended the fight to the surprise of everyone watching and the two fighters.

The crowd booed the stoppage at 1:38 of the fifth round.

Other Bouts

Ireland’s Jason Quigley (19-1) battled to a majority decision win against Shane Mosley Jr. (17-4) in a middleweight bout that could have gone either way.

Quigley and Mosley were evenly matched and both were able to land big shots throughout the 10-round title fight. But after a nip and tuck fight that saw each land big shots one judge saw it even 95-95 and two others 97-93 and 96-94 for Quigley who becomes the NABO middleweight titlist.

“I just want to give massive credit to Shane Mosley Jr.,” said Quigley. “I know it could have gone either way.”

An IBF super featherweight elimination clash saw South Africa’s Azinga Fuzile (15-1, 9 KOs) win by technical knockout over England’s Martin Ward (24-2-2, 11 KOs) after that fighter suffered a knee injury.

Fuzile was able to catch Ward twice with counter right hooks and during an exchange knees clashed and the English fighter was in obvious pain. Fuzile took advantage and forced a stoppage at 2:45 of the seventh round.

“I noticed his injury,” said Fuzile. “And went into finish him.”

Spurning an Olympic bid for the pros, Khalil Coe of New Jersey made his professional debut with three knockdowns in defeating Houston’s Nathaniel Tadd (2-5). It was a consistent and bludgeoning body attack that led to flooring Tadd three times. The last knockdown occurred at 1:10 of the second round of the light heavyweight fight.

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