The knock-on Devin Haney has been that he hadn't been tested. He wanted either Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia, or Teofimo Lopez as his next opponent.
He gets a significant challenge on Saturday night when Haney defends the WBC lightweight title against former three-division world champion Jorge Linares on Saturday, May 29, from the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
Haney's (25-0, 18 KOs) successfully defended the WBC belt with lopsided decision wins over Alfredo Santiago in November 2019 and, most recently, Yuriorkis Gamboa in November. While Linares isn't the guy fans wanted him to face on Memorial Day, "The Dream" understands this is the biggest name on his resume.
"I'm very excited to be making my third world title defense against a great fighter like Jorge Linares, who will be the best fighter I will have ever faced in my career," said Haney in a press release. "He's a three-division world champion who has fought at the championship level for the past thirteen years.
"I grew up watching Linares, and the fact that this fight is happening in Las Vegas is incredible. Boxing fans around the world are eager to see me step up in competition which is great, and I know Linares is coming to fight. I'm ready to give the fans a spectacular performance. The better competition brings the best out of me. Against Linares, I'm going to show the world why I'm the king of the lightweight division."
Linares returns to the big stage as a winner of back-to-back contests after having previously suffered setbacks in two of his three previous fights. Linares steps back into the ring for the first time since an impressive fourth-round knockout of Carlos Morales in February 2020. The 35-year-old knows this is a golden opportunity to prove to the boxing world he still can compete in the upper echelon of the lightweight division.
"This is my moment to show the world that I still have a lot more to give at 135 pounds," Linares said. "Devin Haney is a talented and quick-handed young man, but when I was his age, I had already become a world champion by snatching the title away from a real world champion like Oscar Larios. And now you can imagine how much more experience I have now at an age where I feel stronger and better than ever."
"Without a doubt, it will be a tremendous fight, but I will demonstrate that Haney made a big mistake by accepting a challenge that he is still not ready to overcome."
Can Haney pass his toughest test? Does Linares find the fountain of youth and go on one more run?
Here is everything you need to know about Devin Haney vs. Jorge Linares.
Haney vs. Linares fight date, start time
- Date: Saturday, May 29
- Coverage: 8 p.m. ET
- Haney vs. Linares main event (approx): 11:15 p.m. ET
The Devin Haney vs. Jorge Linares fight card takes place on Saturday, May 29 at 8 p.m. ET. Haney and Linares are expected to make their ring walks at approximately 11:15 p.m. ET, although that depends on the length of the earlier bouts.
Haney vs. Linares TV channel, live stream
- TV / Stream (US) : DAZN
Haney and Linares will have their lightweight title fight exclusively on DAZN worldwide in over 200 countries and territories.
Where is the Haney vs. Linares fight?
The event will take place at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
Haney vs. Linares fight odds
As of May 24, courtesy of BetMGM:
- Devin Haney: -1000
- Draw: +2000
- Jorge Linares: +700
Devin Haney record and bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: November 17, 1998
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 71 inches
- Total fights: 25
- Record: 25-0 with 15 knockouts
Jorge Linares record and bio
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Born: August 22, 1985
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 69 inches
- Total fights: 52
- Record: 47-5 with 29 knockouts
Devin Haney vs. Jorge Linares fight card
- Devin Haney vs. Jorge Linares for Haney’s WBC Lightweight title
- Chantelle Cameron vs. Melissa Hernandez for Cameron’s WBC Women’s Junior Welterweight title
- Jason Quigley vs. Shane Mosley Jr.; Middleweight
- Martin J. Ward vs. Azinga Fuzile; IBF Junior Lightweight eliminator
- Khalil Coe vs. Nathaniel Tadd; Light Heavyweight
- Reshat Mati vs. Gilberto Espinoza Zarata; Welterweight
- Ramla Ali vs. Mikayla Nebel; Women's Featherweight
- Amari Jones vs. Jonathan Ryan Burrs; Junior Middleweight