Devin Haney routs Regis Prograis, becomes two-division world champion

SAN FRANCISCO -- Devin Haney executed a virtuoso performance to become a two-division world champion, scoring a shutout decision over Regis Prograis on Saturday evening at Chase Center.

All three judges scored the bout 120-107 for Haney, who captured Prograis' WBC junior welterweight title. in his first fight at 140 pounds. Haney also was the undisputed lightweight champion before vacating all four of his belts last month.

Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) won every round Saturday night behind an excellent southpaw jab, ring generalship, and precision punching throughout the one-sided affair. Prograis' right eye began to swell significantly with less than a minute remaining in round two after Haney connected with a two-punch combination, a right uppercut while moving backwards followed by a grazing left.

Prograis, who fights out of Houston, taunted Haney with claims he had "no power" and little punch resistance throughout the fight buildup. But it was Prograis who got dropped by Haney in the third round behind a sharp right hand. Furthermore, the former titlist landed just 38 punches, breaking the CompuBox record for fewest punches landed in a 12-round championship bout. Simply put, Haney dominated Prograis from start to finish.

"I did everything that I said I was gonna do," said Haney, who fights out of Las Vegas. "Went in there and I handicapped him. We knew that he was gonna come in with a big left hand. We capitalized on his habit of leaning in. I hit him with big shots; I knew that I was hurting him."

Haney entered the ring coming off a career-best victory, a razor-thin decision over future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko in May to retain his undisputed lightweight championship. On Saturday, there was no debate, Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is one of the best fighters in the world.

The 25-year-old was in control from the onset and buckled Prograis' legs at various moments in the fight. Not only did he dominate the fight, he also cemented his contention for boxing's top honor.

"I feel like at this point that I should be fighter of the year," Haney said at the post-fight news conference.

Naoya Inoue, who knocked out Stephen Fulton on July 25 to become a four-division world champion, will have a chance to outshine Haney on December 26 in Tokyo when he meets Marlon Tapales for the undisputed junior featherweight world championship Should Inoue win, he would a two-weight undisputed world champion in just over a year. The Japanese star knocked out Paul Butler last December 13 to become undisputed at 118-pounds.