Devin Haney knew for years that he had the skills to become the world champion. It finally came in his first fight with George Kambosos Jr., when Haney traveled to Australia for their anticipated lightweight championship clash.
The 23-year-old Bay Area-born, Las Vegas-based boxer finally silenced his remaining critics after dominating Kambosos to defend his WBC title and add the lineal, WBA, IBF and WBO crowns to his collection this past June 6 in Melbourne.
Haney is back to Australia for their rematch this weekend at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, this time as the defending undisputed champion. He also enters the rematch armed with the respect his career always deserved but which he was always ready and willing to fully earn.
“I feel like now, I’m finally getting my just due,” Haney told BoxingScene.com. “It was after the Kambosos fight, for sure. I think that was the time for me to finally get my credit. It was the first title fight where everything was against me. Nothing was working in my favor, it was a do-or-die moment.”
“That was the time when I was able to show that if you gave me the right opportunity, I would earn my just due.”
Haney (28-0, 15KOs) fought outside of North America for the first time as a pro in his June clash with Sydney’s Kambosos (20-1, 10KOs).
“After that fight, the world will give me my just due even more,” noted Haney. “I beat him one way the first fight. It’s easy for me to beat him again that way. But once they see the different way stylistically that I beat him in this fight, the world will love me even more.”
