By: Hans Themistode
For a number of years now, Devin Haney has shouted to the boxing world that he’s the best in the 135 pound division. In just a matter of hours, he’ll look to prove that when he takes on multiple-time champion, Jorge Linares. The two are slated to face each other later on tonight at the Michelob Ultra Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For trainer Joel Diaz, he believes that Haney is as talented as they come. With that said, there is a long list of things he would rather do than watch Haney fight.
“Devin Haney is smart kid, smart boxer but honestly, he’s not attractive to me because of his style,” said Diaz during an interview with Fight Hub TV. “I like more of a come forward, dominating fighter. He’s more of a boxer. Honestly, no disrespect to him but when I watch him fight, after the fourth or fifth round, I just change the channel but that doesn’t mean he’s not a good fighter, he is.”
Diaz’s admission of enjoying brawlers as opposed to boxers doesn’t exactly come as a surprise. Throughout his coaching career, Diaz helped mold fighters who enjoyed banging it out in the middle of the ring such as Ruslan Provodnikov, Avni Yildirim, Lucas Matthysse and a long list of others.
Still, even with Diaz looking for his remote the moment Haney comes across his screen, he still praises the 22 year old for his skillset. Admittedly, Diaz says he fully intends on tuning in to watch Haney face Linares. According to the betting public, Haney is largely expected to win. Yet, despite those overwhelming thoughts, Diaz is fairly confident that the veteran contender has more than enough in the tank to get the job.
“Jorge can beat Devin Haney. He comes and he’s going to use his experience and frustrate you. He’s a smart fighter and he has a lot of power. Once Haney feels the power of Jorge, he’s not going to try and engage. It’s a good test for Devin Haney.”