NEW YORK – Devin Haney’s reluctance to engage was as obvious as it was tedious throughout his 12-round fight with Jose Ramirez on Friday night in Times Square.

The former undisputed lightweight champion still managed to land enough punches to beat Jose Ramirez by wide distances on the scorecards in Haney’s first fight in almost 54 weeks. Haney’s footwork and defensive skill also prevented Ramirez from landing many flush punches during an unusually dull bout Haney fought almost exclusively off his back foot.

Judges Mark Consentino (119-109) and Glenn Feldman (119-109) both scored 11 rounds for Haney, who won 10 rounds according to judge Kevin Morgan (118-110).

Haney, of Henderson, Nevada, improved to 32-0 (15 KOs, 1 NC). Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs), a former WBC/WBO 140-pound champion from Avenal, California, lost a second straight fight by unanimous decision.

The 26-year-old Haney’s performance on The Ring’s “FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves” outdoor card definitely didn’t dazzle the small crowd at ringside.

Winning did at least secure Haney’s place in a contracted rematch with rival Ryan Garcia. If Garcia defeats Rolando “Rolly” Romero in DAZN Pay-Per-View’s main event Friday night, Haney and Garcia are expected to fight again sometime in October.

Haney fought for the first time since Garcia dropped him three times and beat him by majority decision last April 20 at nearby Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The result of Haney’s first professional defeat was changed to a no-contest because Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, a banned substance.

Garcia was also suspended for a year and fined $1.2 million by the New York State Athletic Commission.

Haney filed a lawsuit against Garcia following their infamous fight as well. He dropped that suit as part of their rematch agreement.

Haney’s fight with Ramirez wasn’t nearly as memorable as his brutal battle with Garcia.

Aware that he hadn’t performed as well as he had hoped, Haney didn’t celebrate when the final bell sounded and he walked back to his corner.

Following ninth and 10th rounds in which there was not much action, Ramirez’s right hit Haney flush less than 30 seconds into the 11th round. Haney held Ramirez tightly after absorbing that punch.

Ramirez’s right landed with just under 1:40 remaining in the eighth round. Haney hit Ramirez with a right of his own about 20 seconds later.

The seventh round mirrored most of the first six rounds in that neither fighter landed many consequential punches. Haney bounced around and stayed out of Ramirez’s punching range, while Ramirez followed him around the ring.

A left hook by Ramirez partially caught Haney just after the halfway point of the sixth round. Haney mostly slipped Ramirez’s punches in that round, though, and opened a cut beneath Ramirez’s left eye.

A right-left combination by Haney stopped Ramirez from coming forward with just under 1:20 to go in the fifth round. Haney stayed on his toes for most of that fifth round and made it difficult for Ramirez to hit him with any impactful punches.

Haney’s left hook caught Ramirez with about a minute to go in the fourth round. Several seconds later, Haney’s right uppercut clipped Ramirez as he pressed forward.

Ramirez hit Haney with a left that made Haney hold him with under 20 seconds remaining in the third round. A hard right by Haney made Ramirez reset his feet with about 40 seconds on the clock in the third round.

Ramirez let his hands go about 50 seconds into the third round, as Haney was backed into the ropes. Haney caught him with a left in that exchange.

Haney mostly relied on his legs again in the second round. He landed a right hand in an exchange with about 45 seconds to go in that round and another hard right several seconds before it ended.

Haney expended energy by moving away from Ramirez for most of the first round. He flicked his jab at times, but Haney didn’t commit to his punches during the initial three minutes of their bout.

Ramirez followed him around the ring, but he couldn’t catch Haney with any clean shots in the first round.