Devin Haney will be under investigation by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) after violently shoving Vasiliy Lomachenko during Friday’s official weigh ins (watch HERE). The two lightweight will collide in a title fight Saturday night live on ESPN+ from inside MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is according to a report by ESPN, which states that the NSAC will file a complaint with its attorney’s office for a disciplinary hearing at its next meeting. Haney is expected to be fined for his actions at Friday’s weigh ins.
While Haney and Lomachenko will go toe-to-toe in a massive boxing match Saturday night and likely inflict damage well beyond an on-stage shove, it’s never good to see two fighters mixing it up before their actual bout. Most of the time things defuse and everybody walks away without injury, but sometimes you have a result of a Jeremy Stephens vs. Drakkar Klose shove and the entire situation gets flipped upside down.
Lomachenko, who will be the smaller man on Saturday, wasn’t visibly hurt from Haney’s shove, but officials still requested he be re-examined prior to the fight to ensure his safety. Lomachenko was cleared and the two will still lock horns for Haney’s WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles.
Haney and Loma both feel they have the upper hand following their weigh-in scuffle #HaneyLoma pic.twitter.com/zBlMSrGyoo
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) May 20, 2023
“He’s mine,” said Lomachenko after the incident. “Now he is mine. He doesn’t have the power. I felt it. [He shoved me] because he’s scared.”
“That was just the start,” Haney explained. “You see how easy I pushed him? He’s the smaller man and I’m gonna impose my will on him.”
Remember, MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE coverage of the Haney vs. Lomachenko main event on Saturday night right here. The ESPN+ “Prelims begin” at 6 p.m. ET, continue both there and on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET, then transition to ESPN+ PPV at 10 p.m. ET. Haney and Lomachenko are expected to make the walk closer to midnight.
For more on “Haney vs. Lomachenko” and other boxing-related events click here.