One of the biggest boxing matches of 2023 will take place Saturday when unified lightweight champion Devin Haney puts all four major belts on the line against former champion Vasiliy Lomachenko. Their 12-round showdown will headline the pay-per-view main Haney vs. Lomachenko fight card (10 p.m. ET) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Haney has emerged as one of sport’s rising stars since he became the unified champion last year with a pair of wins over former title-holder George Kambosos Jr. But the undefeated Haney is stepping up for what will likely be the toughest challenge yet in his career against Lomachenko, who seeks a return to the top. Lomachenko lost all four major belts to Teofimo Lopez in October 2020 but has since won three straight to emerge as the top-rated contender.
Haney is a -280 favorite (risk $280 to win $100), while Lomachenko comes back at +240 in the latest Haney vs Lomachenko odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The over/under for total rounds finished is 11.5. Before locking in any Haney vs. Lomachenko picks, make sure you check out the boxing predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Peter Kahn.
Kahn is a true boxing insider who has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on inside and outside of the ring. He has managed numerous world champions and currently manages 20 fighters through his company, Fight Game Advisors. Kahn won the 2022 Boxing Writers Association of America Cus D’Amato Manager of the Year award and was named to the 2023 Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
Kahn is uncanny when it comes to picking fights. He is an astounding 40-11 on his last 51 SportsLine boxing picks, returning more than $4,000 to $100 bettors. Anyone who has followed him has already seen massive returns.
Now, with Haney vs. Lomachenko on deck, Kahn has studied the matchup from every angle and released confident selections for the fight. You can see those picks at SportsLine.
Devin Haney vs Vasiliy Lomachenko preview
This pairing could represent a changing of the guards of sorts in the lightweight division. Haney has shown the potential to be a dominant champion and is looking for a signature win at the expense of Lomachencko, who is eager to prove he still belongs at the top of the sport.
The 24-year-old Haney (29-0) is a prodigal talent who started training for boxing at the age of 7. He fought professionally in Mexico four times because he didn’t want to wait until he was 18 to turn pro, the minimum age for sanctioning bodies in the United States.
In many ways, Haney bears a striking resemblance to Floyd Mayweather, both in his looks and in his boxing style. At age 19, he won the vacant USBA title and has enjoyed a rapid rise since, winning the WBC crown in September 2019 and defending it four times before becoming the unified champion.
Even so, his star power has been somewhat limited because, also akin to Mayweather, Haney fights with a stick-and-move, risk-averse style that awes boxing purists but turns away observers who prefer all-out wars. Haney hasn’t had a stoppage win in four years and has earned a reputation as a boxer with dominant skills who does just enough to defeat his opponent.
But his profile is sure to skyrocket should he beat Lomachenko, who not long ago was considered the sport’s top pound-for-pound boxer and remains a major draw, even if he might be slightly past his physical prime.
The 35-year-old Lomachenko (17-2) has one of the most decorated amateur careers in boxing history. He was a two-time Olympic gold medalist for Ukraine and won countless other amateur titles before making his pro debut at age 25, a year older than Haney is now as the unified lightweight champion.
Because of his massive amateur profile, Lomachencko was fast-tracked to a title shot in just his second professional bout, which he lost to Orlando Salido for the WBO featherweight title. He rebounded with a 13-fight winning streak that saw him capture belts at featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight.
However, his veil of invincibility was pierced in his 2020 loss to Lopez, who consistently beat him to the punch and walked him down like no other previous opponent on the way to a unanimous-decision victory.
A win over Haney would also be a landmark achievement for Lomachencko, who had been criticized in the past for avoiding super fights against elite opponents. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Devin Haney vs Vasiliy Lomachenko picks
Kahn likes the Over 11.5 rounds at a price of -600 in the Caesars sportsbook boxing odds. He’s also locked in a strong money-line pick and a pair of props he loves, including one that returns +1800. You can only see those selections at SportsLine.
Who wins Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko, and which huge plus-money prop is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see Peter Kahn’s best bets for Saturday, all from the boxing specialist who has netted his followers a profit of more than $4,000, and find out.