Much has been said about the upset – and unpleasant nature – of Devin Haney's failure to defend his WBC title against Ryan Garcia. From the erratic build-up to the unexpected payoff, this fight generated more buzz than any year to date, even with undisputed showdowns and bizarre circus matches that threatened threatens to eclipse its star.
Now that the dust has settled on Haney v. Garcia, it's worth looking at the biggest players in the entire losing streak and see where they go from here…
Sergiy Derevyanchenko vs Vaughn Alexander
Derevyanchenko is the top contender in the super middleweight division and frankly, Alexander has no right to share the ring with him. No amount of spirit or effort can help him win and so Alexander should continue working at the national level.
On the other hand, Derevyanchenko certainly needs someone on his level – and a win over them. Not anyone in the top five, but perhaps Berlanga or Sadjo, who could compete with him equally.
Charles Conwell vs. Nathaniel Gallimore
Charles Conwell has pushed himself to the edge of the super welterweight division. With a powerful TKO of Gallimore in the 6th round, coming from unanswered punches, Conwell propelled himself as a contender. Gallimore, at this point, has become the measuring stick for the top fighters in his division – and should continue to be so.
On the other hand, Conwell opened up many avenues. His focus at this point is primarily on resume building; capable of facing a fighter who is on the losing end, such as Magomed Kurbanov, Brian Mendoza or Jack Culcay. More boldly, he could aim to achieve increased success, such as Callum Walsh or Abass Baraou.
David Jimenez vs John Ramirez
Two fighters entered this contest with minimal difficulty, Jimenez emerged from the contest with the WBA Interim World Super Flyweight title. So he will be next to face the winner of Ioka-Martinez after their July 7 fight in Tokyo.
Ramirez, with the first loss of his professional career, still has room to advance in the future – at least he clearly does at the national level.
Bektemir Melikuziev vs Pierre Hubert Dibombe
Bektemir, the new holder of the WBA Inter-Continental Super Middleweight title, has only one blemish on his record to date, against Gabriel Rosado. He is showing promise and talent in such an energetic division; he could break into the top 10 sooner than expected, although taking on two or three more matches on the way up could benefit him significantly. Perhaps a capable operator in need of a good win like Zach Parker could be on the list.
As for Dibombe, even though most of his fights have taken place in France, he has the potential to come through and, therefore, could also chase a fight against someone like Callum Simpson at the bottom of the Boxxer card .
Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Sean McComb
Rematch. This is simple. Arnold Barboza Jr. against Sean McComb II on neutral ground or even in McComb's hometown of Belfast. This is a mistake that McComb can easily correct. Barboza simply lost on April 20, regardless of what the scorecards said. After all, as a true warrior, he should have entertained this idea himself.
Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia
What hasn't been said about Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia? Garcia, to be fair, was not simply tactically superior to Haney that night, as he seemed to have thrown all his strategy out the window for fun against a top puncher. heavy, lightning fast like Garcia.
Haney, despite his overall martial arts talent, shouldn't have any thoughts about a rematch with Garcia, especially if the belt is on the line. Instead, he should face his mandatory challenger Sandor Martin, before considering fighting other divisional titleholders, such as Teofimo Lopez or Issac Cruz.
For Garcia, the star of the dominant athletic program, the world is his oyster, as long as he moves up the weight class altogether. A Garcia clash with Conor Benn, as entertained on X, would certainly bring him both money and victory. Another, riskier money fight could happen with Errol Spence Jr. or maybe even a title fight like Mario Barrios and his interim WBC title is also possible. There is even another suggestion; A resume-building name like Yordenis Ugas or press conference-built Adrien Broner could be options.
Ultimately, after Haney vs Garcia, Ryan walked away with all the cards and his direction is one that many in the sport will be deeply concerned about.
