Devin Haney: Was the Ryan Garcia fight a career killer?

Fans are wondering if Devin Haney will ever be the same again after the lengthy 12-round loss he suffered to Ryan Garcia on April 20th.

Haney's confidence is probably gone now, and everyone he faces from here on out will be loading up on left hooks, looking to replicate the success Ryan had with that jab.

How can Haney save his career?

Avoid punchers: If someone can throw punches, Haney should filter them out as potential opponents for the rest of his career. He doesn't have the jaw to handle big punchers, and never will.
Hug and Run: That was what Haney did after his close decision against Jorge Linares, but he strayed from it against Ryan and paid for it.
Stay at 140: At over 160 pounds, Haney will have a hard time staying at 140 pounds, but he has to try.
Cherry chooses opponents: Taking the easy marks will restore Haney's confidence to the point where he might be able to handle one of the killers at 140 pounds at some point. It would be a mistake for Haney to fight someone good for a year or two because he could get finished if his promoter Eddie Hearn puts him against a level A opponent.

A matchmaking master plan that went awry

Matchmaking worked well for Haney for the first nine years of his career, up until the fight with Ryan Garcia. Obviously this was a bad choice as Haney should have won by a landslide.

Ryan hasn't looked good in his two previous fights against Oscar Duarte and Gervonta Davis. He was not expected to beat Haney, who looked impressive in his recent victory over WBC welterweight champion Regis Prograis last December.

Whoever is fighting Haney now will undoubtedly follow the plan that Ryan created, and they will not back down if they hurt him.

Haney will have a hard time recovering from this loss for a number of reasons. His punch resistance, which has been shaky since the 2021 fight with Jorge Linares, could be even worse after what Ryan did to him.

The good news for Haney is that he's a great move and a clincher. So if he has to depend on these things to keep his career afloat, he can do it. His father, Bill, is good at picking opponents and will make sure Devin doesn't face anyone talented enough to do what Ryan did.

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