A real grudge match heads a card at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this Saturday night, as Devin Haney puts his WBC super lightweight title on the line against Ryan Garcia, although only ‘The Dream’ can claim the belt.
Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy promote Haney vs Garcia, and the bill is live worldwide on DAZN pay per view.
Garcia came in 3.2lbs over the 140lbs limit at Friday’s weigh in, stopping him from fighting for a maiden world title.
The pair had agreed to a bet at Thursday’s press conference that if any fighter missed weight, they would have to pay the other $500,000 per pound they were over the limit.
Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) has been flawless as a professional thus far, and after a run as WBC lightweight champion from 2019 to 2021, Haney then won all four major sanctioning body belts in Australia in June 2022, taking a clear points win against George Kambosos Jr.
Although Kambosos Jr exercised his right to a rematch, the sequel saw an even wider win on the cards for the American.
Haney would then be tested to the limit in a tight win over the distance over Vasyl Lomachenko last May, and that prompted a move up in weight, flooring Regis Prograis in round three on the way to a landslide points victory to win the WBC super lightweight title that he defends this weekend.
Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) has also had one contest at 140 pounds, and built an early career reputation as a devastating puncher, but struggles away from the ring with his mental health checked his progress.
That progress came to a halt last April, when he was humbled by Gervonta Davis in Las Vegas, knocked out in seven rounds. ‘King Ry’ did return nearly six months later, knocking out Oscar Duarte in eight.
There has been a spicy build-up to this one, with Garcia displaying some questionable behaviour that has clearly irked Haney.
Prediction: It’s no secret that these two aren’t fans of each other, and this should make for an intense fight. Garcia will come looking for an early knockout, but once Haney weathers that storm, he can come through to get the win, and retain his belt with a clear points win.
Undercard preview:
Arnold Barboza Jr (29-0, 11 KOs) gets a chance to showcase his skills on this card, and he takes on Belfast native Sean McComb (18-1, 5 KOs) over ten rounds at super lightweight.
Barboza is patiently waiting for a world title shot, and went the ten round distance for five straight fights before breaking that run last time out, forcing Xolisani Ndongeni to retire after eight rounds in January.
McComb has won seven on the spin since a loss to Gavin Gwynne for the Commonwealth lightweight title in 2021, and his last bout was last December, where he floored Sam Maxwell three times on the way to a wide points win.
Sean McComb (8-0, 4 KO’s) with the win over Renald Garrido (24-25-3) over 8 rounds. 79-73. McComb w/some very slick work & Garrido extremely tough in defeat receives a warm ovation from the Irish fans. #ConlanRuiz pic.twitter.com/GHs7iLXFnk
— Tim Boxeo (@TimBoxeo) August 3, 2019
Prediction: McComb looks a good opponent for Barboza, and I don’t expect the hot prospect to lose. He can take a stoppage win in the later rounds.
Bektemir Melikuziev (13-1, 10 KOs) also appears, and the super middleweight meets Frenchman, Pierre Hubert Dibombe (22-0-1, 12 KOs). Melikuziev has rebounded well since a shock 2021 third round loss to Gabriel Rosado, avenging that defeat last April with a wide points win, before halting Alantez Fox in four in October.
Bektemir Melikuziev drops and stops Alantez Fox in round four of the Golden Boy/DAZN co-feature. #ZurdoSmith
— EverythingBoxing (@EverythingBoxi2) October 8, 2023
Dibombe has only fought three times in the last four years, the last a stoppage win against journeyman Derrick Findlay last June. Melikuziev should take this one via the early method.
The interim WBA flyweight title is at stake, and the unbeaten American John Ramirez (13-0, 9 KOs) should take the belt with a win on the scorecards against Costa Rica’s David Jiminez (15-1, 11 KOs).
