The WBC lightweight title will be on the line this Memorial Day weekend when Devin Haney defends his belt for the third time. Haney (25-0 with 15 knockouts) will take on veteran Jorge Linares in what might be Linares’ last title fight. Linares (47-5 with 29 knockouts) is closing in on two decades in boxing, and the former champion will be out to prove he still has it. Haney vs. Linares will take place on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Mandalay Bay on the Las Vegas Strip. This bout will be available via PPV through DAZN in the United States with the main event scheduled to start around 10 p.m. ET.
When: Saturday, May 29, 2021
Where: Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Why: WBC lightweight belt
Devin Haney vs Jorge Linares Betting Odds
Devin Haney -1350
Jorge Linares +707
Haney is a big favorite against Linares per the boxing betting odds. At this price, you would have to wager $1350 to win $100 on the champion. If you like Linares’ chances, you would be in for a nice payday if he pulls off the upset as a $100 wager would net a $707 profit.
As the fight nears, there will be decision betting too. You will be able to bet on whether the fight is decided by KO, TKO, or decision, and you can bet on which boxer will win the fight in that fashion as well.
Devin Haney vs Jorge Linares Preview
It’s clear that Devin Haney always had what it took to make it as a boxer. The American turned professional shortly after his 17th birthday and fought his first four bouts in Tijuana due to age restrictions in the United States. He won three of those fights by first-round TKO before making his American debut on the undercard of a Manny Pacquiao title fight.
Haney continued to dominate his opponents in both Mexico and the United States. He fought 11 bouts in his first full year as a professional boxer, and Haney easily won them all. The following year he beat Maximino Toala by fourth-round TKO to win the WBC Youth lightweight title, establishing himself as an up and comer in the process.
He kept on winning to earn a title shot against Mason Menard three years ago. Haney won that bout to claim the IBF-USBA lightweight belt, and he beat Juan Carlos Burgos for the IBF North America title four months later. Victories over Xolisani Ndongeni and Antonio Moran led to his first major title fight, and he dispatched of Zaur Abdullaev in four rounds to win the interim WBC lightweight belt in September 2019.
We have seen Haney defend that belt twice. He secured a unanimous decision win over Alfredo Santiago in November 2019, and he cruised to a comfortable unanimous decision victory over Yuriorkis Gamboa last November. A win here might set up a huge title fight with Teofimo Lopez, Vasiliy Lomachenko, or Gervonta Davis.
Linares was one of the best young boxers in Venezuela as an amateur, so he moved to Japan to turn pro shortly after turning 17. That proved to be a shrewd move as it gave him a lot of seasoning, and he won the WBA Fedelatin super bantamweight belt upon his return to his native country. He continued to bounce between Latin America and Japan for his first 23 fights before a 10th round TKO win over Oscar Larios scored him the WBC featherweight belt.
He successfully defended that belt once before moving up to super featherweight and defeating Whyber Garcia for the WBA super featherweight strap by fifth round TKO. Linares defended that belt once before losing it to Juan Carlos Salgado by first round TKO in Japan in October 2009.
His first attempt to win a lightweight belt didn’t go smoothly as Linares lost in the 11th round to Antonio DeMarco. However, he eventually earned another shot and made the most of it with a fourth-round TKO of Javier Prieto to win the WBC lightweight title. Linares defended that title and added the WBA and The Ring belts with his two unanimous decision wins over Anthony Crolla, but he lost all his hardware with a loss to Lomachenko three years ago in Madison Square Garden.
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