:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69044139/haneylinares.5.png)
Mike Coppinger, confirming news first broken by Keith Idec, reports that Devin Haney’s WBC lightweight title defense on DAZN against Jorge Linares is set for May 29th at Las Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena, formerly known as the Mandalay Bay Events Center.
The matchup’s had a number of working dates so far, from April 17th to May 21st. The WBC’s original ruling mandated that the winner then face Javier Fortuna, but with “El Abejon” currently negotiating a clash with interim champ Ryan Garcia, it’s unknown whether that’s still in play.
Take away all the “Four Kings” nonsense and this is a genuinely solid matchup. Despite the promotional push, Zaur Abdullaev probably remains Haney’s (25-0, 15 KO) most impressive scalp to date. Linares (47-5, 29 KO) can still fight his ass off at 35 years old; his only losses since 2012 came in a back-and-forth war with Vasiliy Lomachenko and via an early blitz from Pablo Cesar Cano in an ill-advised move to 140 pounds. This is a dangerous test for a highly promising young man who still has a lot to prove.