I fought Vasyl Lomachenko, sparred Gervonta Davis and am now taking on Ryan Garcia, but El Nino de Oro hit me hardest

Devin Haney is well known for his elite defensive skills.

The young American is already a two-weight world champion at age 25 and currently holds an unbeaten record of 31-0.

As such, it is not often hit cleanly.

In his last fight against Regis Prograis, Haney was victorious, taking out the veteran champion and emerging with a clean face afterward.

Vasyl Lomachenko had success against Haney earlier in 2023 and was more successful than most against him, but was ultimately defeated by a close unanimous decision.

The 25-year-old also has a history of fighting top fighters as he has previously shared the ring with Gervonta Davis – often referred to as the modern Mike Tyson – in the gym previously, and has also faced his next opponent Ryan Garcia in the amateurs on several occasions.

However, there is one fighter who caught up with Haney in 2021, and he never forgot it.

When asked who had hit him hardest so far, he first told talkSPORT.com: “I don’t know, that’s a good question.

“It’s something I should do – you’ll need to give me more time to think about it.”

However, after a brief pause, Haney responded, “Maybe Jorge Linares.”

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“I would have to say Linares, because that’s the only time I got hurt. So yeah, it’s Linares.”

Linares is of course a respected champion in his own right.

The former three-weight king was once a dominant force at lightweight before being dethroned by Lomachenko in 2018.

By the time he faced Haney three years later, he was certainly past his best, but he showed he still possessed enough power to pose a threat.

In round 10, with the champion well ahead, Linares landed a huge clean right hand that hurt him.

Haney was briefly stunned and arguably saved by the bell as he returned to his corner.

Over the remaining two rounds, he didn’t seem to fully recover and often took the win.

To this day, Haney insists it was the hardest hit he’s ever suffered, although that’s something Ryan Garcia will no doubt look to change on Saturday night.

Devin Haney vs. Ryan Garcia will be live on talkSPORT starting at 4 a.m. Sunday morning.