Retrospective · Fight: May 20, 2023 · Published:
The official result
Devin Haney defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko by unanimous decision after twelve rounds on May 20, 2023. Devin Haney retained the undisputed lightweight championship. The cards were 116-112 and 115-113 twice. That combination matters: every judge chose the champion, but two outcomes hinged on changing one round, a real basis for debate without turning the official result into a draw.
The stakes
Haney’s second undisputed defense matched the young champion with a former three-division ruler. Lomachenko had returned in October 2022 with a win over Jamaine Ortiz before receiving this opportunity. Haney brought youth, reach and all four belts; Lomachenko brought title experience across three divisions and a history of complicated adjustments. The bout could also be Haney's last at 135 pounds, where he had competed since his teenage years.
How the night turned
The WBC account describes Lomachenko’s combinations growing late and Haney answering to the body, including in the final round. All judges chose Haney, but two separated them by only two points. Lomachenko used feints, feet and head movement to enter, and his combinations grew late. Haney found jabs and hooks to the body outside; in the twelfth he answered with enough body work to reduce part of the final surge.
What remains
The argument surrounding the cards should not replace the record. Its value is the tension between a unanimous official result and a fight close enough to sustain serious disagreement among informed viewers. The controversy endures because a close fight permits different cards, not because the official record is unclear. Haney completed his second undisputed defense; Lomachenko left without belts but with a performance that confirmed continued competitiveness.
Sources
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