WEEKEND
light weather? devin haney will take on joseph diaz jr. friday on dazn. The next night, gervonta davis will face isaac cruz on pay-per-view.
Devin Haney (26-0, 15 KOs) vs Joseph Diaz Jr. (32-1-1, 15 KOs)
- When: Friday, December 4
- Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
- TV / Stream: DAZN
- Assignment: Light (limited to 135 pounds)
- Under threat: No main title
- Ranking in British Pounds: Not available
- The odds: Haney 5-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Jessica McCaskill vs Victoria Bustos, welterweight (for McCaskill’s undisputed championship); Filip Hrgovic vs. Scott Alexander, strong contenders; Montana Love vs. Carlos Diaz, the middleweight contenders
- Guess: Haney UD
- Story: The WBC has designated Haney as its 135-pound title holder but Boxing Junkie recognizes “franchise champion” George Kambosos as the sanctioning agency’s true trustee. Haney has been gearing up for a showdown with one of the big-name lightweights but has so far been empty-handed. However, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t faced quality opponents. He’s having the biggest win of his career, a convincing one decision for veteran Jorge Linares in May, that enhanced his reputation as a budding star. And Diaz could be a step up from Linares. The 2012 US Olympic athlete recorded his breakthrough victory last January, when he pointed out Tevin Farmer to win the £130 grand slam. He lost his title on the scale before his first defense and drawing with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov last February. However, he recovered by pointed out Javier Fortuna in his first bout as an official lightweight athlete in July, which greatly increased his reputation. Friday’s winner will be in a strong position to challenge the Kambosos for the undisputed championship.
Gervonta Davis (25-0, 24 KOs) vs Isaac Cruz (22-1-1, 15 KOs)
- When: Saturday, November 5
- Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles
- TV / Stream: Pay per view
- Assignment: Light
- Under threat: No main title
- Ranking in British Pounds: Davis number 14
- The odds: Davis 10-1 favorite (multi-store average)
- Also on the card: Sebastian Fundora vs. Sergio Garcia, junior middleweight; Sergiy Derevyanchenko vs. Carlos Adames, the middleweights; Eduardo Ramirez vs. Miguel Marriaga, featherweight
- Guess: Davis KO 6
- Story: Davis was said to have fought Rolando Romero but Romero had his card removed almost a month ago after he was accused of sexual assault. Cruz, the Mexican racer, has agreed to replace Romero. Davis, a massive boxer and rising star, has stopped his last 14 opponents in three different weight classes. That includes an 11NS-ring Mario Barrios’s Stop in a competitive fight at 140 pounds this past June. The fight against Cruz was Davis’ first lightweight fight since he knocked out Yuriorkis Gamboa in 12 rounds in December 2019 even though that seems to be his natural weight class. Cruz, an energetic boxer from Mexico, was noticed by take down veteran Diego Magdeleno in the first batch last October. He was less dominant in subsequent matches against Jose Matias Romero and Francisco Vargas, whom he won by unanimous decisions. The match should be interesting because both men love to combine it.
Also fighting this week: Cassius Chaney (21-0, 14 KO) will happen George Arias (16-0.7 KOs) in a 10-round heavyweight match scheduled for Wednesday in New York (FITE). Mid-Range Candidate Danny Dignum (13-0-1, 7 KO) will face Lucas Bastida (17-1-1, 9 KOs) Thursday in London (ESPN+). Also, Thursday, the young middle class candidate Kerman Lejarraga (33-2, 25 KO) will fight Jack Flatley (17-1-1, 4 KOs) in the 10th round match scheduled in Bilbao, Spain.
