The former three-division world champion believes Haney would be a force at lightweight.
Jorge Linares is urging Devin Haney to drop back down to 135 pounds, where he believes the young American would be a force.
Haney (29-0, 15 KOs) moved up to 140 pounds in 2022 and won the WBC title with a decision win over George Kambosos Jr. However, Linares believes that Haney would be better served by returning to lightweight, where he was a two-time world champion.
I think Devin Haney would be a great lightweight, Linares told BoxingScene. He’s a very skilled boxer with a lot of power. I think he would be too much for a lot of the guys at 135 pounds.
Linares (49-7, 29 KOs) is a former three-division world champion. He held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring lightweight titles from 2016 to 2018. He also held the WBA junior welterweight title from 2014 to 2016.
Linares knows what it takes to be successful at lightweight. He believes that Haney has the skills and the power to do the same.
I think Devin Haney is a special talent, Linares said. He’s only 24 years old and he’s already a two-time world champion. I think he has the potential to be one of the best fighters in the world.
If Haney does decide to drop back down to 135 pounds, there are a number of potential opponents for him.
Linares mentioned Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, and Vasyl Lomachenko as possible opponents for Haney.
I think any of those fights would be great, Linares said. Haney is a very skilled boxer and he has a lot of power. I think he would be a tough matchup for any of those guys.
Only time will tell if Haney decides to drop back down to 135 pounds. But if he does, Linares believes that he has the potential to be one of the best fighters in the world.
Kind regards Chris Christensen.
