Tim Bradley says Devin Haney could have beaten Ryan Garcia if he had kept his right hand up during their fight on April 20. Bradley notes that Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) kept his hand down and fought through emotions.
Tim felt that Haney should put Ryan (24-1, 20 KOs) in, especially after he was knocked out in the seventh. He was trying to back off with Garcia after that, making it easy for him to continue landing his thunderous left hook.
Garcia dropped Haney three times in the fight and won a 12-round majority decision at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The victory permanently catapulted Haney into being the next Mayweather, and put his career on a precarious footing.
Before the fight it was known that he had a weak chin, but after being hit repeatedly by Ryan’s left whip, it is now clear that he cannot take a punch.
“All Devin had to do was pick up the phone. He was winning most of the fight,” said Tim Bradley on GHBTV about Devin Haney only needing to work on his defense mechanics to beat Ryan Garcia last April.
Haney’s problems that led to his fall had nothing to do with not keeping his right hand up. The real issue stemmed from getting the help he was trying for, which resulted in him firing Ryan’s short left hook. He was catching Haney with that fist when he tried to bend over.
“He was winning a lot of titles in the fight,” said Bradley. “He was swinging, moving, looking good, but he kept dropping that right hand. Ryan is very gifted at shooting the left hook. He shoots it out of nowhere. It comes naturally to him. Apparently, Devin Haney didn’t train. If he had not kept that hand, he would have won this battle.”
Given how fast and powerful Ryan’s left hook was in that fight, Haney would have to do the impossible by preventing him from landing any punches. Haney could have followed Bradley’s recommendations of staying alert, boxing, and staying out. It wouldn’t work unless he cut and moved for 12 rounds.
I don’t think he could have done that because he had gained a lot of weight after rehydration. He looked like a super middleweight inside the ring. Haney would not be able to move further as heavy as he was.
“He used to punch him out in places where he couldn’t be caught or knocked down. Devin was like, ‘I’m going to fight him’ rather than punch him. He should have just punched him. He kept his mind. Stay out of his feelings. I was thinking, ‘Why is this guy standing in front of this star? He must move.’ He didn’t need to step on this guy. Use his legs to stop him,” said Bradley.
Haney had to fight because Ryan was coming at him quickly, and he did a great jab to counter his power shot.
“Ryan didn’t have to get down to those last three pounds, and I feel like that was an advantage he had over Haney in the fight. He was at full strength. “He didn’t finish his body like Haney did,” said Bradley.
It wouldn’t have been a big deal if Haney had agreed to fight Ryan at 147 instead of 140 because he wouldn’t have to cut his weight to make weight. If weight was the reason why Ryan won, Haney should have agreed to fight him at welterweight. He would be strong, make 147. and maybe he would not be disintegrated.
Source link
