There’s hardly any need to reiterate how spectacular it was to see an event like this take place for the first time in New York, right in the world’s most famous square! Times Square, with its LED walls specially set up for the Fatal Fury-themed night organized by Matchroom Boxing in collaboration with Golden Boy Promotions and The Ring Magazine, offered a truly striking atmosphere.
The evening’s lineup featured Devin Haney (32-0), back in action for an important fight meant to silence critics after the controversial bout with Ryan Garcia that got boxing fans talking. In the opposite corner, José Ramirez (29-3), a former unified super lightweight champion, promised a good match at the 147-pound limit.
Ramirez looked quite tense on arrival, while Haney appeared confident as they both drove into a packed Times Square.
At the sound of the bell, the fight opened with a long feeling-out process. Haney kept moving constantly, working his trademark jab, while Ramirez held the center of the ring but threw very few punches.
The slow pace continued through the first two rounds.
In the third, Haney started to land clean left hooks, slipping Ramirez’s shots and countering quickly. Ramirez tried to answer with combinations, but they were ineffective and posed no real threat.
The fourth round followed a similar pattern, with Haney’s left hook again sharp and efficient. Ramirez, on the other hand, looked overly passive, waiting too long and failing to capitalize.
By round five, it became clear Haney was dictating the pace, while Ramirez couldn’t find the range to land anything meaningful.
Round six played out the same way—Ramirez didn’t take risks, and when he tried to press forward, Haney’s superior speed and constant movement neutralized any effort.
In the seventh, Haney repeatedly made Ramirez miss, looking elusive and landing some solid body shots.
The eighth round saw Haney’s left hook return with force, along with a few well-timed rights—all without taking any risks.
In the ninth, Haney landed sharp right hands and kept moving nonstop, suffocating his opponent, who never managed to find the right distance.
Rounds ten and eleven followed the same script: it seemed the only way Ramirez could tie up the elusive Haney was to send someone from his corner into the ring.
In the final round, a visibly dejected Ramirez trudged through what had been a nightmare of a fight, completely outclassed by a faster, smarter opponent.
It might have been a boring match for the crowd, but from a tactical and technical standpoint, Devin Haney executed perfectly. He reasserted himself—even if it was an easy win—after a long stretch of criticism and showed he’s ready for the much-anticipated Ryan Garcia rematch, although Garcia’s recent defeat may put that in jeopardy.
As for Ramirez, he looked totally out of his depth and might regret his decision to move up in weight to face Haney.
The judges’ scorecards were absolutely fair, and they did an excellent job throughout the night.