Devin Haney was loudly booed by boxing fans after violently shoving Vasiliy Lomachenko when the two faced off at the weigh-ins.
Haney (29-0, 15KO) and Lomachenko (17-2, 11KO) both made weight as they prepare to battle for the title of undisputed lightweight champion at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday.
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The two then squared off for the final time before the fight on stage in front of fans as Haney repeated the message “you lose tomorrow” to Lomachenko.
The Ukrainian was cool as ice on stage in the face of Haney’s verbal barrage, but the champ’s next move stunned just about everyone.
Haney violently shoved Lomachenko before storming off stage in wild scenes.
ESPN’s Joe Tessitore was baffled at what he’d seen.
“That was the first moment all week we saw a break in the composure,” Tessitore said.
“That was a big-time shove. That was an attack!
“He shoves him as hard as he could and then exits the stage. And now a cascade of boos from the crowd at the MGM Grand.”
In an interview immediately after, Haney claimed the act was to send a message to his rival ahead of their bout.
“That was just the start,” Haney said.
“You see how easy I pushed him? He’s the smaller man and I’m gonna impose my will on him.”
However, Lomachenko took a completely different view and felt Haney’s reckless act proved he has grave fears about what’s to come.
“He is mine,” Lomachenko said.
“Now he is mine. He doesn’t have the power. I felt it.
“He’s scared.”
FULL CARD
Devin Haney (c) vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko – undisputed lightweight world champion
Oscar Valdez vs. Adam Lopez – junior lightweight
Raymond Muratalla vs. Jeremia Nakathila – lightweight
Junto Nakatani vs. Andrew Moloney (AUS) – vacant WBO junior bantamweight title
Nico Ali Walsh vs. Danny Rosenberger – middleweight
Emiliano Vargas vs. Rafael Jasso – lightweight
Floyd Diaz vs. Luis Fernando Saavedra – junior featherweight
Abdullah Mason vs. Desmond Lyons – lightweight
Amari Jones vs. Pachino Hill – middleweight
Originally published as ‘That was an attack!’: Devin Haney loses mind with ‘big-time shove’ in weigh-in meltdown