In Brooklyn, New York, Devin Haney will be squaring off against Ryan Garcia at the Barclays Centre.
01:48:19
WORTH THE WAIT
The highly anticipated face-off between Garcia and Haney finally commenced at 5:17 a.m. BST (12:17 a.m. ET) amidst a crowded Barclays Center. Contrary to the doubts of many, Garcia proved his critics incorrect, while Haney showcased immense determination. The event was filled with gripping moments, surpassing expectations, particularly due to the uncertainties surrounding Garcia’s preparedness for the fight.
01:23:59
MAX’S MATH
Max De Luca, the judge who initially had the Haney-Garcia fight as a draw, eventually scored seven rounds in favor of Haney and five for Garcia. De Luca arrived at his final score of 112-112 taking into account the three knockdowns Haney endured and referee Harvey Dock’s decision to deduct a point from Garcia in the seventh round. However, Garcia emerged victorious with a comfortable lead on the other two scorecards, winning with scores of 115-109 and 114-110.
01:18:46
NO REGRETS
In an interview with DAZN’s Chris Mannix, Devin Haney expressed no remorse for proceeding with their fight despite Garcia’s 3.2-pound weight discrepancy on Friday. Haney acknowledged a fraction of Garcia’s earnings as compensation for his rival’s inability to meet the weight requirement. However, he endured his inaugural loss as a professional boxer to an adversary who didn’t even come close to meeting the weight limit.
01:15:36
A REMATCH?
Despite the absence of a rematch clause in their contracts, Garcia expressed his willingness to fight Haney once more. Speaking to DAZN’s Chris Mannix, he affirmed, “Sure, let’s do it again.”
01:11:42
GARCIA GETS THE DECISION!
Ryan Garcia emerged victorious in a majority decision over Devin Haney, despite facing a point deduction in the seventh round. The scorecards read 115-109, 114-110, and 112-112, solidifying Garcia’s triumph. Surprising many, Garcia accomplished three knockdowns and defied expectations by winning a fight that most believed he would not.
01:06:55
GARCIA SHOULD’VE FINISHED HANEY
Haney’s display of resilience is truly commendable as he managed to rise from the canvas three times and endure numerous other challenges. However, Garcia made a crucial mistake by permitting him to last until the final bell. With a significant amount of time remaining in the seventh round and Haney in a severely injured state, Garcia should have taken advantage of the situation.
01:03:07
GARCIA HAMMERING HANEY
Haney held his way to the final round, but what could he have left after what happened in the 11th round? A hard right by Garcia backed up Haney with just over a minute left in the 11th round. Then he dropped him with another flush left hook after Haney slipped a punch. An earlier left hook by Garcia buzzed Haney barely a minute into the 11th round.
00:56:34
GARCIA DROPS HANEY AGAIN
A right hand by Garcia hurt Haney again and dropped him about 30 seconds into the 10th round. Will he capitalize this time and finally finish off his rival?
00:54:45
IS GARCIA GASSED?
Throughout the majority of the ninth round, Garcia refrained from throwing punches until he finally unleashed a few late in the round. Despite landing a powerful left hook on Haney in the seventh round, Garcia failed to take advantage of this opportunity. Additionally, Garcia’s loss of a point in the seventh round nullified the knockdown on the scorecards.
00:49:49
HANEY RECOVERS WELL
In the eighth round, Haney displayed a strong recovery, seemingly regaining his stability after a near knockout in the previous round. However, Garcia’s lack of aggression in the eighth round allowed Haney to escape from potential trouble.
00:47:06
GARCIA NEARLY KOs HANEY
In the seventh round, Garcia landed a powerful left hook that caused Haney to get hurt and fall to the canvas. Shortly after, Dock, the referee, paused the match and penalized Garcia by deducting a point. This decision granted Haney additional time to recuperate. Although Haney experienced two more instances of falling to the canvas, Dock determined that he was pushed down rather than knocked down again.
00:42:27
GARCIA GETS BACK IN IT
In the early stages of the sixth round, Garcia landed a solid right hand, yet Haney swiftly shook his head to signal that he wasn’t affected as he was in the initial round.
00:38:12
HANEY IS IN CONTROL
In the fifth round, Haney has managed to dominate the fight, constantly pressuring Garcia and forcing him to defend. Just over a minute into the round, Haney landed a powerful counter right on Garcia.
00:32:49
HARVEY HAS HIS HANDS FULL
During the match, Referee Harvey Dock has dedicated a significant amount of time to keeping Haney and Garcia apart during clinches. At the 1:34 mark in the fourth round, he called a timeout and cautioned them regarding their rough tactics.
00:30:26
HANEY HAS TAKEN CONTROL
Haney blasted Garcia with a sweeping left hook with just under a minute to go in the third round. Haney previously snuck another right around Garcia’s guard barely 20 seconds into the third round.
00:25:32
HANEY HAS SOME SUCCESS
With approximately 1 minute and 15 seconds remaining in the second round, Haney delivered a powerful straight right punch. It appears that he has regained his stability, fully recovering from the left hook by Garcia in the first round. Additionally, Haney managed to land a solid jab towards the end of the second round.
00:22:27
STRONG START FOR GARCIA
Haney immediately gained respect for Garcia and it suddenly appeared that Garcia had the potential to win the fight.
00:20:03
GARCIA’S LEFT HOOK
In the opening round, Garcia landed a powerful left hook on Haney, causing him to momentarily hold on in the ring for approximately 45 seconds. The crowd erupted with excitement, cheering loudly for the impressive blow. Haney, meanwhile, continued to face challenges as he fought to regain his composure.
00:15:52
LONG TIME COMING
DAZN has been building this fight for several years. Will it deliver despite Garcia’s antics throughout this promotion? We’re finally about to find out.
23:56:21
BARCLAYS CENTER PACKED
As we approach midnight ET here in Brooklyn, Barclays Center appears to be packed to capacity, regardless of how they managed to achieve it. The excitement is palpable as the anticipation for Haney and Garcia’s ring walks continues to grow.
23:53:06
GENEROUS SCORING FOR BARBOZA
Arnold Barboza Jr. secured victory through a split decision, winning seven rounds on one card (97-93) and six rounds on another card (96-94). On the other hand, McComb emerged victorious in eight rounds on another card (98-92). While both the 97-93 and 98-92 scores were deemed too wide for either fighter, it can be argued that McComb (18-2, 5 KOs) deserved a better outcome. Nonetheless, Barboza (30-0, 11 KOs) maintains his position as a contender for the 140-pound title shot.
23:39:51
MCCOMB MIGHT HAVE REGRETS
The individual from Belfast has lacked sufficient activity during the eighth and ninth rounds, which might have consequences on the scorecards.
23:31:05
MCCOMB’S CONFIDENCE GROWING
During the majority of the seventh round, McComb stepped up and successfully connected several powerful punches on Barboza. This unexpected turn of events hints at a potential major upset. It’s worth noting that Barboza is heavily favored, with odds as high as 9-1 according to most sportsbooks.
23:24:46
IF MCCOMB COULD PUNCH …
In Round 6, Barboza’s challenges would escalate further. Despite McComb’s successful strikes, Barboza remains unfazed by the retaliation, persistently aiming to close in on the elusive southpaw.
23:15:11
MCCOMB MAKING IT TRICKY
Arnold Barboza Jr. has been facing difficulties in the first three rounds due to Sean McComb’s tall stature and lengthy reach while fighting from a southpaw position.
22:50:25
BLOODY ‘BULLY’ BEATS DIBOMBE
In a unanimous technical decision, Melikuziev emerged victorious over Dibombe as their bout was abruptly halted in the eighth round due to a severe cut on Melikuziev. All three judges had Melikuziev leading on the scorecards (79-73, 79-73, 78-74) when the fight was stopped. Since his unexpected knockout defeat by Gabe Rosado in June 2021, Melikuziev has secured seven consecutive victories, which notably includes a points triumph in their rematch.
22:36:54
BROOKLYN BLOODBATH
In what has been an incredibly bloody fifth round at Barclays Center, Melikuziev appears to have a more severe cut over his left eye compared to the gash above Dibombe’s right eye. Adding to the controversy, Melikuziev managed to secure a knockdown with 2:16 remaining in the fifth round. However, it was a debatable situation as it seemed that their legs got tangled, causing Dibombe to fall.
22:25:11
DIBOMBES AWAY
After a doctor examined Dibombe’s deteriorating cut during the second round, he immediately intensified his fighting with a great sense of urgency. Towards the end of the second round, he landed a powerful right hand on Melikuziev and resumed his aggressive approach in the third round. However, Melikuziev capitalized on Dibombe’s moments of vulnerability, making him suffer the consequences.
22:18:15
DIBOMBE’S BLEEDING
Dibombe sustained a significant cut on his right eyelid in the initial round, appearing rather deep.
22:00:42
TIME FOR ‘BEK THE BULLY’
Bektemir Melikuziev (13-1, 10 KOs) vs. Pierre Dibombe (22-0-1, 12 KOs) is next. One more fight after this 10-round super middleweight match before Haney-Garcia.
21:53:54
THE RIGHT GUY WON (JIMENEZ)
In the match between David Jimenez and Scrappy Ramirez, Jimenez displayed superior work ethic, particularly in close proximity. He consistently targeted Ramirez’s body, resulting in a victory on the judges’ scorecards (117-111, 117-111, 116-112). Additionally, Jimenez earned the WBA interim super flyweight title. Despite Ramirez’s courageous performance, he failed to connect with enough punches and resorted to excessive holding in the final rounds.
21:39:32
CUE THE VIOLINS
Ryan Garcia is warming up with people playing violins and a cello in his dressing room. Meanwhile, Tupac is blaring through the speakers here inside the arena.
21:31:15
JIMENEZ IS RELENTLESS
Jimenez just keeps coming forward and has landed a lot of body shots on the inside. Ramirez is trying his best to tie up Jimenez when he can and keep the fight at his preferred distance, where he’s working off his jab. About to go to Round 8.
21:17:47
‘MURDER’ ON GARCIA’S MIND
Ryan Garcia made his entrance into Barclays Center, which was displayed on the massive screen within the arena. The crowd responded with mostly boos as Garcia, sporting a T-shirt bearing the words “Murder On My Mind,” made his way in. Shortly after, when Devin Haney was featured in his locker room, he received mostly cheers from the audience.
21:12:51
JIMENEZ WHERE HE SHOULD BE
Jimenez needs to keep this fight on the inside, where he mostly kept it in the second round. That’s where he can do damage against the inexperienced Ramirez.
20:57:37
NEXT UP: SUPER FLYWEIGHTS
John Ramirez, also known as “Scrappy,” with a record of 13 wins and 0 losses, including 9 knockout victories, is set to face David Jimenez, who holds a record of 15 wins and 1 loss, with 11 knockout wins. The highly anticipated bout will be for the WBA interim 115-pound title.
20:48:26
CONWELL GETS GALLIMORE OUT OF THERE
Conwell looked good for not having fought in almost a year and a half. Mercante stopped it at 52 seconds of the sixth round. Gallimore has been knocked out in three of his past five fights.
20:44:09
HOW MUCH LONGER?
Referee Arthur Mercante Jr. intently monitored Gallimore’s performance throughout the remaining minute and more of the fifth round. Unless Gallimore stages a comeback soon, Mercante Jr. will not hesitate to intervene and end the fight.
20:35:29
CONWELL TEEING OFF
During the third round, Conwell, the top-ranked super welterweight contender of the WBC, relentlessly unleashed left hooks and right uppercuts on Gallimore. Despite managing to remain standing, it is evident that Gallimore’s endurance will not hold up much longer if this assault persists.
20:27:19
CONWELL CRISP EARLY
In his first fight since November 2022, Conwell unleashed a barrage of hits on Gallimore as the first round drew to a close.
20:19:42
STILL EARLY, BUT …
A LOT of empty seats here at Barclays Center as they prepare to start the PPV part of the Haney-Garcia undercard.
19:36:33
THEY’RE TAKING A BRIEF BREAK
Following the Haney-Garcia undercard, the five-fight PPV section will commence at approximately 1 a.m. BST (8 p.m. ET). Immediately after, an exciting 10-round match awaits between the undefeated junior middleweight contender Charles Conwell (18-0, 13 KOs) and the formidable opponent Nathaniel Gallimore (22-7-1, 17 KOs).
SERGIY GETS IN 10 ROUNDS
Derevyanchenko was unable to knock out Alexander, but he efficiently shut down Devon Alexander’s older brother in a unanimous decision (100-89, 100-89, 100-89). The Ukrainian fighter intends to continue competing in the super middleweight division and aims to secure a more prominent bout in the coming months.
19:26:31
DEREVYANCHENKO FINALLY FLOORS ALEXANDER
A vicious left to the body by Derevyanchenko sends Alexander to the canvas with just under 20 seconds to go in the eighth round. Alexander barely beat the count & the bell spared him from taking any more punches.
19:19:57
NOT MAKING IT EASY ON SERGIY
Derevyanchenko is winning, but a good sixth round for Alexander, who pressed forward, landed left hooks and bloodied Derevyanchenko’s nose.
19:02:26
DEREVYANCHENKO ENDS 10-MONTH LAYOFF
Sergiy Derevyanchenko is working to overcome some ring rust as he faces Vaughn Alexander in his first fight since his epic battle with Jaime Munguia on June 10th. Two rounds have already passed in this eagerly anticipated match.
18:49:29
HONORING GARY SHAW
They just did an honorary 10-count for late promoter Gary Shaw. New Jersey’s Shaw, who had a successful run with his own company after he left Main Events in 2002, died at the age of 79 last week.
18:44:40
DARIUS FULGHUM WINS EASILY
Darius Fulghum dominated the match against Mexican veteran Cristian Olivas, prompting referee Ricky Gonzalez to intervene and stop the action after 50 seconds into the fourth round. Despite Olivas (22-11, 19 KOs) managing to stay on his feet, it was clear that he was outmatched. This fight served as a means to keep Fulghum occupied and boost the record of the promising super middleweight prospect (11-0, 10 KOs).
18:30:40
JONATHAN CANAS WINS AGAIN
Jonathan Canas (4-0, 3 KOs), a 21-year-old lightweight prospect promoted by Golden Boy, shut out journeyman Markus Bowes (2-6, 2 KOs) on all three scorecards in an uneventful four-rounder. Canas too big, too strong, too talented. Bowes held a lot and just tried to survive.
18:10:53
ASSESSING AMARI JONES
Amari Jones is a promising prospect at middleweight. Really effective when he uses his jab & has some pop. Buzzed Mbumba-Yassa a couple times before he dropped him early in the sixth.
18:02:58
DEVIN HANEY’S STABLEMATE STAYS UNBEATEN
Amari Jones, a 21-year-old middleweight prospect trained by Bill Haney, stopped Armel Mbumba-Yassa 39 seconds into the sixth round on the undercard. Jones improved to 12-0 and scored his 11th knockout. Jones dropped Mbumba-Yassa barely 10 seconds into the sixth. Ref Arthur Mercante Jr. let the mostly one-sided action go only a few seconds more after Mbumba-Yassa got up.
17:57:33
WE ARE LIVE FROM BARCLAYS CENTER
Welcome to tonight’s live blog from ringside at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where WBC super lightweight champ Devin Haney will face rival Ryan Garcia in the 12-round main event.
I’m Keith Idec, a longtime boxing writer from New Jersey who will do his best to keep you informed and hopefully entertained throughout this card.
