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Devin Haney's ready for the biggest test of his career thus far, on Friday. Haney is set to defend his WBC lightweight strap against the always tough Joseph Diaz on DAZN.
While Haney's title is on the line in this one, the bigger stakes are what will be available for both fighters after the fight. With George Kambosos Jr.'s upset over Teofimo Lopez last Saturday, he holds all the cards at lightweight. With both Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis both having big fights this weekend, whoever is most impressive can be next in line for the new champ.
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With all that in mind, let's take a look at the matchup ahead of Friday night's DAZN card.
Devin Haney vs. Joseph Diaz: Preview
Unlike the aforementioned Gervonta Davis showdown with Isaac Cruz, Devin Haney vs. Joseph Diaz is a more evenly matched fight by a mile. Cruz is a tough young kid, but Diaz is a well-established former champion who's a massive player at 135 lbs.
The fight is expected to be the toughest of Haney's young career thus far. It doesn't help that he's coming off a fight against Jorge Linares, who despite Haney being a massive favorite heading in, was given massive trouble. Despite that, he's still seen as one of the top fighters at lightweight.
For his part, Joseph Diaz is heading into the fight riding a massive wave of momentum. 'Jojo' made most of his name known at featherweight, but moved up in 2020 and captured the WBC interim lightweight title with a solid win over Javier Fortuna.
Both men have somewhat similar styles, but both have their own question marks heading in. For Diaz, will he be able to handle physicality and feel the weight at a top level? For Haney, has he figured out the gas tank issue that was seen in the Linares fight? The questions only lead to more intrigue in this one.
Devin Haney vs. Joseph Diaz: Prediction
Joseph Diaz will absolutely make a good account of himself on Friday night. Haney is extremely active, has a good pop in his shots, and is a great technician in the ring.
However, where Haney has a big advantage over Diaz is in the fact that he's comfortable fighting backwards. Diaz is a ring-general by heart, and he's not going to take a step back against Haney. The issue lies in the fact that Haney is fine fighting off his backfoot and landing counters, and will likely take a more conservative approach here given his issues with Linares.
Joseph Diaz is a close betting underdog mainly due to Haney's recent performance. However, 'The Dream' has completely dominated the rest of the competition he has faced thus far. One bad night at the office shouldn't be enough for him to get written off in the eyes of the fans and the media.
The Outcome
Joseph Diaz will win exchanges and rounds, no doubt. However, he's likely going to be outpointed on Friday night.
Devin Haney by decision is the clear pick here, and if Diaz had the power in the later rounds he might be a popular upset pick. \
Prediction: Devin Haney via decision.
