BoxRec

Devin has two gears but doesn't look like he has the other.
He's slick, clean puncher and moves well.
He doesn't react well to incoming.

A lot of the time you never really know if a guy has that extra gear or not until someone makes him use it.

And if he fights too many guys in a row that don't ever make him use it, he'll become complacent with not using it. That's why it's important to test guys. Make 'em bring out their best.

He looks ordinary sparring.

Sparring don't mean d*ck.

Some of the time it doesn't.

I'd say it pretty much never does. Unless the guy you're sparring is a guy you're gonna fight later, and he's had a good long look at you.

Then it matters.

But then again that kinda thing goes both ways.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑14 Jan 2023, 02:39 A lot of the time you never really know if a guy has that extra gear or not until someone makes him use it.

And if he fights too many guys in a row that don't ever make him use it, he'll become complacent with not using it. That's why it's important to test guys. Make 'em bring out their best.

Well put
Adversity brings out true champs.
Some guys only look good dictating the action and pace and can't adjust to that changing. Some guys can't fight or generate power on the back foot, and you never get to see that until they are pressed into it by willing and motivated opposition.
Some guys fold when they get hurt.
In this age of protecting the "0", we see more and more guys folding when they finally have a decent opponent put in front of them. Too many easy knockovers and unmotivated cans. Too many fights where they have it their own way.
Then when suddenly a guy is put in front of them who won't back down, who will put them on the back foot, who will bring it too them, and who they hurt but comes back- the hot young prospect folds.

I don't think we will see the best of Haney until he gets to 140 or 147. He might lose there too, but he is basically the size of
Floyd, so we'll see.