Haney vs Ramírez: De La Hoya Backs Underdog for Upset Victory
In a highly anticipated bout set to take place this Friday night in Times Square, Manhattan, Oscar De La Hoya, the renowned boxing promoter and former world champion, has expressed his conviction that José Ramírez has a strong chance of defeating Devin Haney. According to De La Hoya, the odds favouring Haney are severely skewed, with the favourite currently trading at 12-1 with DraftKings.
As reported by The Ring, De La Hoya, whose promotional company, Golden Boy Promotions, represents Ramírez, admitted that his opinion may be slightly biased. Nonetheless, he finds it difficult to comprehend how Haney can be considered such a significant favourite over Ramírez in their 12-round welterweight contest.
Haney, who boasts an undefeated record of 31-0 with 15 knockouts and one no contest, has only lost two competitive bouts, both by unanimous decision, to Josh Taylor and Arnold Barboza Jr. However, De La Hoya questioned whether Haney has fully recovered from his devastating loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Garcia’s victory was initially ruled a majority decision but was later changed to a no contest after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
"Esta pelea entre Devin y Ramírez, creo que es una pelea 50-50", De La Hoya told The Ring. "Y en realidad le daría la ventaja a Ramírez, simplemente por el hecho de que Devin no está del todo bien después de esa devastadora derrota ante Ryan Garcia. No creo que esté bien. No creo que esté completamente recuperado."
De La Hoya suspected that Haney’s confidence may have been shaken by his three knockdowns against Garcia, which could prove difficult for him to overcome. While Ramírez may not possess the same punching power as Garcia, the Californian native believes he will feel fresher and stronger competing as a natural welterweight for the first time in his 12-year professional career.
Ramírez, a 2012 US Olympian, had previously campaigned in the super lightweight division but decided to move up to welterweight following his unanimous decision loss to Barboza at 140 pounds on November 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The 32-year-old Ramírez also expressed his motivation to prove himself after what he perceives as a lack of respect from analysts, fans, and bookmakers.
A victory for Ramírez would not only secure a significant upset but also potentially spoil plans for a rematch between Garcia and Haney. The event, which will take place in a iconic outdoor setting in Midtown Manhattan, also features Teófimo López defending his Ring and WBO super lightweight titles against Barboza.
As noted by The Ring, Keith Idec, a senior writer and columnist for the publication, contributed to this article.
The stage is set for an intriguing contest between Haney and Ramírez. With De La Hoya backing the underdog Ramírez, fans can expect an intense and closely contested bout.
The Ring’s source material was utilised to construct this long-form article, which provides in-depth analysis and quotes directly from the publication.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of The Ring and do not necessarily reflect those of this news provider.
