NEW YORK – Devin Haney’s cautious style was clear and a bit boring during his 12-round fight with Jose Ramirez on Friday night in Times Square.
Even so, Haney landed enough punches to win easily on the scorecards in his first fight in nearly 54 weeks. His good footwork and defense stopped Ramirez from landing many clean shots in what turned out to be a slow-paced fight, with Haney mostly boxing on the back foot.
Judges Mark Consentino and Glenn Feldman both scored it 119-109 for Haney, and Kevin Morgan had it 118-110.
Haney, from Henderson, Nevada, stays unbeaten at 32-0 (15 KOs, 1 NC). Ramirez, from Avenal, California, now has a record of 29-3 (18 KOs) and has lost two fights in a row by decision.
The 26-year-old Haney’s performance on The Ring’s “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves” outdoor event didn’t excite the small crowd.
However, the win secured his place in a rematch with Ryan Garcia, expected to happen in October if Garcia beats Rolando “Rolly” Romero soon.
This was Haney’s first fight since Garcia knocked him down three times and beat him last April in Brooklyn. That result was later changed to a no-contest because Garcia tested positive for a banned substance, Ostarine. Garcia was also suspended for a year and fined $1.2 million. Haney had filed a lawsuit against Garcia but dropped it as part of their rematch deal.
Unlike his fight with Garcia, Haney’s bout with Ramirez was not very exciting. Haney didn’t celebrate at the final bell and quietly returned to his corner.
In the later rounds, there were few big moments. Ramirez landed a clean right hand early in round 11, and Haney quickly held him. Ramirez also landed a solid right in round 8, but Haney answered back with his own punch.
Most of the earlier rounds were slow, with Haney staying out of reach and Ramirez chasing him. In round 6, Ramirez landed a partial left hook, but Haney mostly avoided punches and even opened a cut under Ramirez’s left eye.
Haney landed a good combo in round 5 to stop Ramirez’s advance and stayed light on his feet, making it tough for Ramirez to connect. He also landed clean shots in rounds 4 and 3, while Ramirez had a brief moment of success near the end of round 3.
The early rounds showed the same pattern: Haney moved around the ring, using his jab and avoiding any big exchanges, while Ramirez struggled to land clean shots.
