Photos by Mikey Williams - Top Rank
Undisputed lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) retained his titles with an unpopular unanimous decision over three-division world champion Vasiliy “Loma” Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The size difference was evident from the opening bell, Haney jabbed as Lomachenko punched in bunches and was more productive in the first. Haney connected with a right hand in round two but Lomachenko connected flush on the inside with combinations. Lomachenko kept up the pace in round three as Haney still appeared to be making adjustments. Stalking and keeping up the fast pace, Lomachenko lurked as Haney was fighting off his backfoot jabbing, Lomachenko slipped and took Haney with him as things got a little rough.
Referee issued a warning to Haney in the fifth for shoving with his forearm, shortly after Lomachenko got the better of Haney backing him to the ropes with a combination. Haney began to go to the body and get inside in round six but Lomachenko countered with fast combinations, shortly after Haney was issued another warning this time for holding and hitting behind the head. In the eighth, Haney pressed more as Lomachenko tagged with counters but shortly after Lomachenko ran into a stiff punch from Haney stopping his momentum. The jab was effective for Haney in the eighth, neutralizing Lomachenko's movement and speed.
Working off the jab in the ninth, Haney and Lomachenko boxed as Haney was fighting off his backfoot, Lomachenko pressed. Late in the fight in the tenth, Lomachenko connected with a flush combination as he stopped Haney's momentum. A solid right hand by Lomachenko in the eleventh backed Haney as the former world champion and two time gold medalist seemed comfortable in the championship rounds. The twelfth and final round saw Lomachenko pressing as Haney sticked and moved most of the round.
After completing twelve competitive rounds the judges scores were 116-112, 115-113, and 115-113 as Devin Haney pulls out a controversial unanimous decision.
Oscar Valdez Returns
Two-division world champion Oscar Valdez (31-1, 23 KOs) of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico returned to the ring as he defeated Adam “BluNose” Lopez (16-5, 6 KOs) by unanimous decision in a rematch. Valdez connected big to start as Lopez kept his distance and popped the jab circling the ring. Lopez unloaded a combination to begin the second snapping Valdez's head, the former world champion stalked and looked to land the big left hook as he missed on multiple attempts but later in the round connected solidly. Valdez began the third round connecting big with the left hook and right hand then cornered Lopez as he fought off and returned fire. The fighting continued with Valdez and Lopez exchanging. It was a slower paced fourth round with Valdez stalking and Lopez keeping his distance feeling with the jab.
In the fifth Valdez stood close on the offensive, Lopez boxed and worked the jab as he made it complicated for Valdez. Lopez's height and reach along with his style obviously made it complicated for Valdez as Lopez boxed well in the sixth. Sticking the jab and keeping his distance in the seventh, Lopez continued to make Valdez work and outworked him to finish the round. Stalking in the eighth, Valdez stood close as Lopez kept away from Valdez's offense. Late in the fight in the ninth, Lopez let his hands go scoring but Valdez returned with big shots as Lopez stood away and circled the ring. Heading into the tenth and final round Valdez was swinging for the fences and caught Lopez with a headbutt followed by a left hook as Lopez suddenly ran for safety. The former champion finished strong as he had Lopez backpedaling and appeared to knock him down in the final seconds of the fight but that was immediately ruled a slip.
After completing ten rounds and going the distance the judges scored the bout 98-92, 98-91, and 97-93 as all three had it in favor of Valdez.
Muratalla KO Win
Lightweight Raymond “Danger” Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs) of Fontana scored a spectacular second round stoppage over Jeremia Nakathila (23-3, 19 KOs) of Namibia in opening the pay per view telecast. It was a slow start for Muratalla as he kept his composure and felt out with the jab with Nakathila letting his hands go fighting straight up. However, Muratalla finished off Nakathila the following round connecting with a hard right hand, cornering the Namibian and finishing him off with a series of unanswered punches as referee Robert Hoyle stopped the fight at 2:48.
Following the fight, Muratalla said he wants Devin Haney.
Nakatani Scores Brutal KO Win Over Moloney
Japan’s undefeated newly crowned WBO junior bantamweight champion Junto Nakatani (25-0, 19 KOs) scored a brutal twelfth round knockout over former world champion Andrew Moloney (25-3, 16 KOs) of Australia in winning the vacant WBO title. Off to a fast start, Nakatani broke ground in the second as he dropped Moloney by connecting with a right uppercut. There was a clash of heads in the third round as Nakatani suffered a but on his left eye. Keeping his composure, Nakatani boxed and was connecting with the straight left and countering. The cut appeared to be under control as Naktani appeared fresh boxing away as Moloney attempted to work inside.
In the fifth, Moloney appeared to be getting some momentum working his way inside and connecting but Nakatani continued to connect short on the inside. Moloney appeared to be getting some ground in the sixth as worked his way inside clinching the long armed Nakatani and backing him to the ropes. Pass the halfway point in the seventh, the referee momentarily stopped the action as the tape was loose on Naktani's glove. The fight continued as Moloney and Nakatani were fighting on the inside. Momentum appeared to be favoring Moloney and in the eighth Nakatani seemed slower as the former world champion kept pressing the fight.
Nakatani appeared to momentarily stagger Moloney in the ninth. Late in the fight in the tenth round, Nakatani worked off the jab and worked short inside as Moloney kept pressing. A straight left by Nakatani sat Moloney down in the eleventh as he was up quickly and continued to fight. However, a vicious overhand left by Nakatani in the twelfth did it as Moloney was out cold forcing the referee to immediately stop the fight at 2:42 of the final round.
“I was very pleased and satisfied to have a good knockout. I was ready for him and his style. I knew he would fight that way and we adjusted to that.”
“I think this win opens up a big road for me. I wan’t unification fights. It can be against anybody. It can be with Estrada or anybody.”
Nico Ali Walsh and Rosenberg Fight to a Draw
Muhammad Ali’s grandson, middleweight prospect Nico Ali Walsh (8-0-1, 5 KOs) and Danny Rosenberger (13-9-5, 4 KOs) fought to an eight round draw. In a fight that saw Ali Walsh in a test as Rosenberger gave Ali Walsh a tough task. Rosenberger boxed much of the fight moving side to as Ali Walsh did what he could to neutralize Rosenberger through eight rounds.
After going the distance eight rounds the judges scored the bout 77-75 for Ali Walsh, 77-75 for Rosenberg, and 76-76 even as the bout was declared a spot decision draw.
Vargas Wins by KO
Lightweight Emiliano Fernando Vargas (5-0, 4 KOs), the son of former world champion Fernando “El Feroz” Vargas, scored a second round knockout over Rafael Jasso (3-1, 1 KO). A hard crunching left hook to the body by Vargas did it as Jasso was down, referee reached a ten count at 1:41
Other Bouts
Las Vegas’s junior featherweight prospect Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (9-0, 3 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Luis Saavedra (9-9, 3 KO's) of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Off to a fast start, Diaz and Saavedra mixed it up in the opening round. Saavedra stalked and pressed in round two as Diaz fought off his back foot countering. Working on the inside in the third, Saavedra took it to Diaz stalking staying on top of Floyd. Continuing to go at Diaz in the fourth, Saavedra was not making it easy for Floyd by cutting the ring and swinging wildly.
In the fifth, a nasty cut began to develop on Saavedra's right eye but he continued to go forward as Diaz continued to box away. The cut appeared to be sustained in round six as Saavedra kept coming, forcing Diaz to keep his distance and box. Displaying his relentless in the seventh round, the cut and bleeding was not stopping Saavedra from coming forward as he kept Diaz boxing and fighting at distance. The eighth and final round saw Diaz work off the jab but the stalking and wild swinging Saavedra kept coming and staying on top of Floyd to the final bell. Despite being bloodied Saavedra finished strong.
The judges scored the bout 80-72, 80-72, and 79-73 all three in favor of Diaz.
Cleveland’s lightweight prospect Abdullah Mason (8-0, 7 KOs) stopped Desmond Lyons (8-3, 2 KOs) in six. Displaying hand speed and flash in the opening round, Mason got off to a get start snapping the jab and following up with the straight left backing Lyons. Working patiently and countering in round two, Mason connected with a solid left uppercut as he stopped Lyons from pressing and getting inside. Mason continued to outwork Lyons as he began to go downstairs to the body and in the fifth Mason cornered Lyons. Referee Robert Hoyle had seen enough after Mason had outworked Lyons and connected with a series of punches stopping the fight at 32 seconds of the sixth and final round.
In the opening bout from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas middleweight Amari Jones (9-0, 8 KOs) Oakland scored a sixth round stoppage over Chino Hill (8-3-1, 6 KO's) of Davenport, Iowa. Jones took it to Hill from the opening bell and in round two, the Oakland native began to unload . In the third, Jones kept working backing Hill and beating him to the punch. It was all Jones throughout the fight, in the sixth and final round referee Mike Ortega had seen enough as he stepped in to stop the fight at 1:16 of the sixth.
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