Promoter Eddie Hearn says he doesn’t really feel Devin Haney ought to battle IBF mild welterweight champion Subriel Matias subsequent, with him coming off a loss to Ryan Garcia final April.
Haney was knocked down a number of occasions by Ryan of their battle and was fortunate to not be stopped within the seventh spherical of that contest. Haney fell 4 occasions in that spherical from punches, however the referee solely counted one of many knockdowns.
Considerations over Haney’s Restoration
Hearn feels that WBC mild welterweight champion Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) took quite a lot of punishment in his defeat towards Ryan, and he doesn’t assume it’s a good suggestion for him to enter what would promise to be a fueling battle towards the hard-punching Matias (20-1, 20 KOs).
As a substitute of Haney preventing Matias in a unification, Hearn would really like Devin to defend his WBC belt towards his obligatory Sandor Martin subsequent. That’s a greater battle for Haney proper now.
Martin (42-3, 15 KOs) isn’t a giant puncher, and the one factor Haney must fear about is getting outboxed by him, which is a risk.
After all, if Haney’s punch resistance has been affected by his battle with Ryan Garcia, the southpaw Martin has sufficient pop in his punches to benefit from that.
He knocked Teofimo Lopez down twice of their battle in December 2022 and had him mentally questioning himself afterward when he was given a controversial 10-round break up choice.
Hearn’s Feedback
“I don’t assume Matias is the precise battle for Devin Haney proper now coming off that defeat [to Ryan Garcia]. He took punishment that evening. That’s why I like the Sandor Martin battle [for Haney],” mentioned promoter Eddie Hearn to the media when requested if a unification battle between IBF mild welterweight champion Subriel Matias and WBC champ Devin Haney is an efficient battle.
Matias is a foul battle for Haney at any level, not simply now. Haney’s skill to take a tough shot has been in query since his battle with Jorge Linares in 2021, and placing him in with a knockout artist like Matias could be a catastrophe. Hearn is aware of that, so he’s steering him in direction of safer waters towards Martin.
“I’m not saying Devin wouldn’t battle Subriel Matias. He would, however that’s a back-to-back [grueling contest] if he wasn’t prepared or psychologically prepared for that battle,” mentioned Hearn. “For those who get beat again to again, and you already know it’s going to be a punishing battle.”
Devin and his vulture-like dad, Invoice Haney, have zero about eager to battle Subriel Matias, and it’s fairly clear they need nothing to do with this devasting puncher.
“For those who battle Subriel, you higher be ready to go to some darkish, horrible locations within the ring, as a result of if you happen to’re Liam [Paro] or Devin, you’re not going to get him out of there early,” mentioned Hearn.
“He’s going to again you up, throw every thing at you. He’s going to hit you across the aspect of your head, the highest of your head, the physique. You bought to return by it, and coming off a defeat like Devin, that’s why I imagine Sandor Martin is the precise battle,” mentioned Hearn.
