Devin Haney still looks the same, still speaks the same, and still throws on designer clothes from head to toe. But is he the same fighter? That’s what he’s aiming to prove.
Following his physically damaging night to Ryan Garcia roughly a year ago, Haney has taken the time to recover and work on his fundamentals. After doing so, he’s officially set to return to the ring against Jose Ramirez on May 2nd, in Times Square in New York City.
On paper, Haney has the clear edge. He’s younger, seemingly fresher, more experienced at the elite level, and ostensibly has a more diverse skill set. Gabe Rosado, however, doesn’t see it that way.
“I’m leaning towards Ramirez,” said Rosado during a sit-down interview with Abner Mares.
In terms of his career, Ramirez has something to prove in his own right. Although he’s still in his early 30s, Ramirez, by and large, isn’t viewed in the glowing light that he once was. Following his close unanimous decision defeat to Arnold Barboza back in November, few consider him a viable title threat anymore. Still, even if he’s lost a step or two, Rosado isn’t counting him out.
Few have as much extensive knowledge when it comes to bouncing back as Rosado does. During his career, he suffered 17 losses. On most occasions, however, he found a way to pick up the pieces and carry on.
His path to success didn’t come across as strategic but Rosado knew exactly what he was doing when he was on his comeback bid. Haney though, is new to this territory. Since he isn’t the most informed fighter regarding setbacks, Rosado fears that the former two-division champion may have made a mistake.
“You know in boxing, there’s a way to come back," continued Rosado. "And I think Ramirez is the wrong guy to come back to.”