In a night brimming with tactical warfare and razor-thin margins, Devin Haney narrowly escaped with his unbeaten record intact, edging out Vasiliy Lomachenko in a hotly contested bout that’s already stirring fierce debate across the boxing world. Billed as Checkmate, the 12-round chess match at the MGM Grand Garden Arena saw Haney retain his undisputed lightweight championship via unanimous decision—though many ringside observers and fans saw a different winner.

From the opening bell, the fight unfolded like a masterclass in technical boxing. Haney, now 30-0 (15 KOs), relied on crisp body attacks to slow Lomachenko’s footwork and limit his angles. Lomachenko, ever the ring general, sliced through Haney’s guard with sharp combinations upstairs, particularly in the later rounds. The Ukrainian southpaw, fighting as the underdog for the first time in his storied career, surged in the championship rounds—visibly rattling Haney with sustained pressure in the 10th and 11th.

However, all three judges gave the nod to Haney, with scorecards reading 115-113 twice and 116-112. The result drew immediate backlash, as numerous unofficial scorers—including top boxing outlets—tallied the bout either as a draw or narrowly in Lomachenko’s favour. The controversy echoes through the sport, with fans calling foul and demanding a rematch.

Haney’s path to this night has been as calculated as his in-ring style. After being elevated to full WBC champion status in 2019 when Lomachenko accepted “franchise” designation, the American repeatedly accused his rival of avoiding him. Their eventual meeting, years in the making, delivered on intensity and intrigue, even if the final verdict left a sour taste for many.

Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs), a former three-division king and Olympic gold medallist, declined to speak at length post-fight, clearly emotional. The partisan Las Vegas crowd voiced its support for the veteran, booing the decision in a rare moment of unified protest.

While Haney retains his place atop the lightweight mountain, the calls for accountability—and perhaps a rematch—are already echoing loud. For now, the belt remains in Haney’s hands, but the legitimacy of the decision may haunt this reign unless settled definitively in the ring once more.