Time to see Haney-Lomachenko; Wilder can beat anybody who isn't named Fury

Devin Haney showed erstwhile again this play wherefore helium deserves pound-for-pound consideration, portion Deontay Wilder's close manus was backmost successful action, finishing Robert Helenius successful Round 1, announcing his instrumentality arsenic a apical challenger successful the division.

After 2 consecutive stoppage losses to Tyson Fury, Wilder's aboriginal was successful doubt. But helium showed that helium tin bushed anybody successful the part not named Fury. Is a combat against Andy Ruiz Jr. his champion adjacent option?

Haney returned to Australia for a rematch against George Kambosos Jr. and the effect was the same: different ascendant triumph by Haney to clasp the undisputed lightweight championship. Next could/should beryllium a combat against Vasiliy Lomachenko, but by having each 4 large titles, Haney's options are limitless.

Mike Coppinger and Ben Baby respond to Haney and Wilder's victories and what should beryllium adjacent for some of them.

What's adjacent for Haney aft different ascendant victory?

Devin Haney proved erstwhile again that he's 1 of the sport's elite by easy outboxing George Kambosos Jr. implicit 12 rounds connected Saturday.

The existent trial of Haney's greatness, though, lies ahead. And it could travel next.

Haney said he's funny successful a combat adjacent twelvemonth with erstwhile pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko, and there's a wide way to a deal.

Haney has 1 combat remaining connected his woody with Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment, and Bob Arum's institution is the longtime promoter of Lomachenko. Assuming Lomachenko cruises past Jamaine Ortiz connected Oct. 29, arsenic expected, a woody should travel into play for Haney-Lomachenko successful the spring.

Against Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic golden medalist, Haney would person to beryllium astatine his best, utilizing his ringing IQ, footwork and superior size to support Lomachenko astatine the extremity of his jab.

Easier said than done, of course, against a large combatant similar Lomachenko, who uses uncanny angles, elite velocity and the game's champion footwork to make openings. It's a can't-miss combat that could beryllium 1 of the biggest of 2023.

After he's done with Lomachenko -- assuming a woody is made -- Haney is expected to determination up to 140 pounds, wherever helium could yet conscionable Teofimo Lopez Jr. successful different megafight. -- Coppinger

Wilder is backmost and he's inactive a must-see fighter

It was vintage Deontay Wilder.

He showed helium mightiness beryllium amended than everyone other successful the satellite who isn't named Tyson Fury. A monolithic one-punch knockout implicit Robert Helenius firmly confirmed Wilder's presumption arsenic a reckoning unit successful the heavyweight division.

As bully arsenic Wilder was passim his career, including his reign arsenic heavyweight champion, his performances against Fury, specifically successful their archetypal and 3rd fights, had shown conscionable however bully Wilder was. By pushing Fury to the brink, helium boosted his bequest contempt 2 losses and a split-draw successful the trilogy with Fury.

Within PBC, wherever Wilder resides, Andy Ruiz Jr., a erstwhile champion, is the lone apical heavyweight Wilder hasn't faced yet. Beyond Ruiz, Oleksandr Usyk, who holds 3 of the 4 large belts successful the division, and Anthony Joshua, the feline Usyk bushed for those titles, are the 2 large names looming successful the sport.

Usyk is promoted by chap Ukrainian Alexander Krassuyk, portion Joshua is repped by Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn. Either combat could bring Wilder different monolithic payday and springiness him a accidental to amusement conscionable however large helium is.

The Fury-Wilder bouts showed fighters from antithetic promotions tin get successful the ringing successful the tone of a monolithic payday. Wilder's triumph implicit Helenius showed he's inactive a must-see attraction. And plentifulness of radical volition support tuning successful to spot conscionable however large Wilder genuinely is. -- Baby

Where does Kambosos spell from here?

Kambosos volition ever person his triumph implicit Teofimo Lopez Jr. past November successful 1 of the year's champion fights, a triumph that changed his beingness and transformed him from an unheralded contender to the ruler of the lightweights.

But aft 2 lopsided losses to Haney, Kambosos finds himself backmost astatine the extremity of the line.

He could usage a matchup oregon 2 against brushed absorption to regain his confidence, and afterward could situation for a 135-pound title, assuming Haney is nary longer champion. But astatine this juncture, it's hard to spot Kambosos ever recapturing the signifier helium showed against Lopez.

Still, Kambosos remains a recognizable sanction and is conscionable 29. Perhaps he'll find himself arsenic a stepping chromatic to Gervonta Davis oregon Ryan Garcia successful the future, but helium could besides marque for enactment fights with chap contenders specified arsenic Isaac Cruz, Joseph "JoJo" Diaz Jr. and William Zepeda. -- Coppinger

Plant shines, but determination are not galore options for the erstwhile champion astatine ace middleweight

Caleb Plant restarted his vocation with a triumph implicit Anthony Dirrell successful the co-main lawsuit connected the Wilder-Helenius combat card. Given however helium was a 1-to-10 favourite implicit Dirrell, a Plant triumph seemed casual to predict. But the tougher task is trying to fig retired wherever Plant goes from here. The Nashville autochthonal was coming disconnected a stoppage nonaccomplishment to Canelo Alvarez successful Nov. 2021 that gave Alvarez the IBF ace middleweight and the undisputed title.

Plant has a large issue. With Alvarez holding each 4 large belts, determination are nary belts for anyone to genuinely pursuit (not that they would matter, with Alvarez's presumption arsenic the part champ cemented).

There seems to beryllium lone 1 enactment for determination to beryllium immoderate question successful the 168-pound part if Alvarez doesn't surrender his belts. David Benavidez is the WBC's interim champion. Benavidez, similar Plant, is managed by Al Haymon nether Premier Boxing Champions umbrella.

After Alvarez bushed Gennadiy Golovkin to stay the undisputed ace middleweight champ successful Spetember, helium spoke with disdain astir a imaginable matchup against Benavidez that the second has wanted for years.

Plant is the WBC's No. 1 ranked fighter. A matchup betwixt Plant and Benavidez makes excessively overmuch sense. Theoretically, Alvarez should person to look the victor successful bid to support the WBC belt. That assumes a sanctioning assemblage acts rationally, which requires a batch of religion successful this sport.

That either gives Plant a crushed to look Alvarez again. Or it gives Benavidez adjacent much momentum and creates added nationalist unit for Alvarez to look Benavidez. -- Baby