Devin Haney dominates Regis Prograis, captures WBC junior welterweight belt

Tonight, in an unusual Bay Area location, Chase Center in his (sorta) hometown of San Francisco, Devin Haney soundly defeated a hopelessly old and outclassed Regis Prograis. Handy may leave his heart in San Francisco, but when he left the enormous big-screen I watched at a nearby Casino, he left me wishing for much more.

Round 1: Totally uneventful. A round certain to go to Haney, but if ever there was an even round, devoid of action, this was it. Even or Haney – strongly lean even. Devin Haney literally looks like a Middleweight – and a big one. Haney is wearing bizarre trunks with many full-size pieces of rope attached! Any number of districts in Frisco could have furnished it. Oh well – they’re kind of cool. 

Round 2: Regis looks his age. Sharp angles from Haney. But – it’s mainly that he’s younger, fresher and so much bigger. Haney Round. 

Round 3: Prograis down. After doing little again, Haney landed a sharp counter to put Prograis down and seize a 10-8 round. Full credit. That was great. Prograis already in a huge hole. His face is already starting to redden.

Round 4: Prograis seems to have recovered completely from the knockdown. He almost nabbed a round until Haney’s sharp counter made it another, even round. This is already, an easy fight for Haney, an opponent at least two weight classes too big for Prograis. But also, he’s better than Regis Prograis. 

Round 5: Prograis from the first bell has struggled to find the right distance. He’s failed to do so. Haney who appears muscle-bound, easily won the round. Whatever you think of SNAC, the new ‘legal’ supplement from Victor Conte, it sure works. Haney is gigantic in there. 

Round 6: Haney landed two very powerful shots. Prograis countered by bleeding from the nose. His face is getting as red as a New Orleans voodoo curse. Haney is moving constantly to his left to avoid southpaw Prograis’ power hand and his once-deadly, straight left. Kudos to Haney for completely mastering the distance and sticking to a game plan. By moving exclusively left, he is totally enabling Prograis’ right jab. The trouble is, Prograis isn’t throwing it at all.

I enjoy meeting people, boxing fans in particular, but they’re leaving the casino in droves. The only ones staying are watching the next screen (MMA) to my left – where there have been two devastating knockouts. MMA fans are going ape-crap.  

Round 7: Prograis has given up the real fight and is concentrating on going the full 12. Good Haney round. A doctor unnecessarily checks on Prograis between rounds.

Round 8: Lying punch stats have Haney landing about 50 more than he’s thrown. But the round is his, easily. I repeat: Haney is masterfully controlling the distance. But this isn’t say, Floyd vs. Canelo stuff. In that fight, a much older man fought a much younger, bigger man, and made for an exciting, masterful contest. This is one for the purists only. And this purist is not amused. 

Round 9. Haney is winning what the MMA calls the “hand battle.” It’s beautiful and full credit to Devin: Whenever Prograis throws a right jab – and he’s trying to get it going - Haney is blocking it with his left. Perfect timing. Then Haney potshots, landing 5-6 decent punches a round. Easy work.

Round 10. Since Devin is moving left so perfectly, Prograis has no shot of landing a home run straight left. Now Prograis tries to impose his supposedly much greater strength by wrestling continually. The SNAC giant, Devin Haney, wins the wrestling, too. Haney round.

Round 11: Rinse and Repeat. Haney: Master distance. Block right jab. Move LEFT, all night. Rinse and repeat. Prograis wants to go 12. 

Round 12. Glad I didn’t pay 55 bucks for this. The only boxing fan remaining besides me, falls asleep next to me!

A wipe out. Prograis only shared two even rounds on my card. Haney won 10 and scored a knockdown. 

Boxing masterclasses are supposed to be enjoyed only by expert dudes like me. I didn’t enjoy this. Safety first all the way by Devin. Don’t expect him to change and -oh - and he’s already talking seriously of moving to 147.

Believe him.

There are plenty of fights that can make Haney mighty rich and Dad, Bill, is masterfully finding fights like this one. Low risk, big reward. I guess you can’t blame Bill. 

…But make no mistake, Haney is not a hard puncher. Eventually, he’ll have to face a tough fighter. Bud may retire, but Boots will be there. If Bill moves Devin to 154, that’s one way to avoid Boots. Or he can ‘marinate’ a

Boots Ennis contest, by fighting gimmes for 1-2 years. A highly skilled, hard puncher will eventually KO Devin, in my opinion. 

Devin Haney is without question a defensive fighter and that’s unlikely to change. If Devin was unwilling to end the issue by stepping to Prograis, he won’t step to heavy hitters, either. If you thought Mayweather wasn’t fan-friendly (and in fact he often was) you have to be an absolute defensive purist to jump on the Haney bandwagon. 

Poor Regis. There is one great fight left for Prograis, though, and I bet it will go down. A rematch with another shot fighter, Josh Taylor, in the UK. Unless Taylor also goes to 147. But who can Taylor possibly beat up there?