Boxing odds & preview – Haney gets to make a statement vs. Loma

It is certainly not unnatural that folks will have doubts about Devin Haney. After all, when he stepped onto the big stage for the first time, he beat another fighter that people were skeptical of. But there’s something at work here. And BetOnline customers can’t help but notice it if they look closely.

Haney may well be in for his biggest physical and mental test as he enters the ring against Vasyl Lomachenko on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The fight is expected to take place at around midnight / 9 PM Pacific, and it is part of a pay-per-view that comes through the facilities of ESPN+. 

Many boxing fans know the Lomachenko story. A native of Ukraine, he was a legendary amateur, and as the story goes, he suffered only one defeat in the Simon-pure ranks. A two-time Olympic champion, he also boxed in the semi-pro World Series of Boxing, and so when he ultimately turned pro, he was ready for more established fighters early. 

There are a handful of boxers who fought for a world title in their first pro bout. Loma fought for a championship in his second fight. And he lost a split decision to Orlando Salido for the WBO crown at 126 pounds, leaving some with the idea that he may have bitten off more than he could chew. Loma bounced back in his fight to win that title, this time over Gary Russell Jr., and then he went on a run that saw him win his next twelve fights, in the process winning belts at 130 and 135 pounds.

Things crashed when he decisively lost to undefeated former amateur star Teofimo Lopez. Loma took a while to get started and never got off the way he wanted to.

So now it is a “redemption” tour of sorts, as Loma can make a statement that he’s not finished quite yet.

Here are the boxing betting odds on this event, as they have been posted by the folks at BetOnline: 

Davin Haney -265

Vasyl Lomachenko +225

Over 10.5 Rounds -550

Under 10.5 Rounds +375

There are a lot of people who don’t think much of George Kambosos, who Haney beat twice to gain the undisputed lightweight title. But if you do the “eye test” on Haney, you will see a guy who is one of the more educated boxers in the world. He moves well, pumps out a jab, and makes sure he isn’t going to be in the same place for very long. 

Loma has thrived on opponents who have fought differently. Haney is all wrong for him. If Loma thinks he will be on top of this guy and hit him from all angles without getting any response, he’s found the wrong guy. We’d only worry about Haney’s nerve stepping up in this big test. He shoved Loma at the weigh-in, which incurred the ire of the Nevada commission, but that doesn’t necessarily show us confidence. Lomachenko can break his opponents’ will and wear them down with a preponderance of firepower, and Haney will have to overcome that now.

Take a look at what has been posted in terms of the exact “Method of Victory.”

Based on this, we’d play Haney by way of decision, which is priced at -155. 

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