Devin Haney picked Vasily Lomachenko as his toughest opponent, not Ryan Garcia. The 26-year-old boxer shared this insight recently, giving credit to Lomachenko's skills and experience.
Haney's career has been impressive from the start. He grabbed the WBC interim lightweight title at just 20 years old, in his 23rd fight. He then moved up to full WBC champion and later became the undisputed lightweight champ. Now, he's the WBC super-lightweight champion.
Along the way, Haney has faced some big names. He's beaten Jorge Linares, Yoriokis Gamboa, Joseph Diaz Jr, and George Kambosos twice. After defending his lightweight titles multiple times, he moved up to super-lightweight and beat Regis Prograis for the WBC belt.
When asked about his toughest fight, Haney didn't hesitate. He said:
"Loma. He's definitely a Hall of Famer. He had a lot of tools and a lot of experience, and it made me a better fighter."
Lomachenko's career backs up Haney's words. The Ukrainian had an amazing amateur run before turning pro. He won a world title in just his third pro fight and went on to become champion in three weight classes.
Haney's choice might surprise some, given his recent history with Ryan Garcia. Their fight ended in controversy when Garcia initially won, dropping Haney several times. But the result was later changed to a no contest after Garcia tested positive for a banned substance.
After a year away from the ring, Haney came back strong. He beat Jose Ramirez in May 2025, showing he's still a force in the sport.
As for Lomachenko, he's currently the IBF lightweight champ but hasn't fought in over a year. It's not clear if he'll return to the ring. But for Haney, the memory of their tough battle clearly still stands out.
