Ahead of this Saturday’s fascinating fight between Devin Haney and Vasiliy Lomachenko, an equally fascinating video has emerged, this having filmed the two men as they exchanged words regarding fight tactics. Haney, smiling but serious, spoke to Loma and the team members the former pound-for-pound best in the sport was with at the time. The 29-0(15) Haney said, “we know what he wants to do on the inside – make it a dirty fight.”
Lomachenko, 17-2(11) appeared shocked at being referred to as a dirty fighter and he asked Haney for an example of him being dirty in any of his fights.
The exchange, as filmed by Top Rank for video purposes, went as follows:
“Dirty? How do you know? When did you see a dirty fight during my career? Which fight?” Loma demanded.
“You know that that’s your best bet against me,” Haney shot back.
“My best chance [is] to do a dirty fight? Come on, man,” Lomachenko said.
“Have you ever seen him fighting dirty?” a member of Team-Lomachenko asked Haney.
“Yes, I have. All of your fights – [Richard] Commey,” Haney replied.
“What’s dirty?” Loma asked.
“Punching on the inside,” Haney said. “When he (the ref) say ‘break,’ – punch. ‘Break – punch.’ We know what you’re preparing.”
So, is Haney right, is Loma a fighter who could be looked at as dirty? Lomachenko knows a whole bunch of tricks, let’s put it that way. And as for getting on the inside during the fight on Saturday, this would of course seem to be Lomachenko’s only chance, so much shorter is he in comparison to defending lightweight champ Haney.
If Loma does make some illegal moves, or borderline illegal moves during the fight, you can bet Haney will be hollering at the referee about it. Haney has fired some shots already – he has called Loma a dirty fighter, and he did it right to his face.
Lomachenko really did seem quite shocked at having the dirty fighter tag thrown at him. Will this make Loma change his tactics, his game plan any on Saturday? Again, this one is a genuinely fascinating fight.
