The lightweight division in boxing is in a great place with some big names such as Teofimo Lopez, Ryan Garcia, Gervonta Davis and WBC champion Devin Haney. With Lopez upsetting Vasyl Lomachenko in October, he now holds three of the four major world titles in that division while Haney holds the fourth, which he defends against Jorge Linares on May 29.
This is likely a tune-up fight for Haney before he tries his hand with Lopez, hopefully later in 2021. Devin Haney vs Jorge Linares is taking place at the Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, and can be seen on DAZN.
Online sportsbook [Sportsbook not available for your region] has released Haney vs Linares odds with the champ listed as a large -950 favorite and the challenger coming back as a +575 underdog. This means you would have to wager $950 to profit $100 on a Haney win, while a $100 bet on a Linares victory would profit you $575.
Haney vs Linares Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Devin Haney | -950 |
| Jorge Linares | +575 |
Odds as of May 29 at [Sportsbook not available for your region]
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Our sports betting calculator tells us that Haney’s -950 betting odds represent an implied win probability of 90.48 percent, while Linares’ implied win probability is 14.81 percent.
New to betting on the fights? Be sure to check out our great How to Bet on Boxing guide. Also, keep an eye on our boxing odds page for the latest up-to-date Devin Haney vs Jorge Linares betting odds.
Haney vs Linares Odds Analysis
Although Devin “The Dream” Haney is a sizable -950 favorite, this betting line is his longest in over three years. Haney has been a favorite of -1400 or greater over his last seven bouts, including five in which he was -2000 or larger. Of course, he won each of those bouts as he carries an undefeated 25-0 record.
Former Champ is a Rare Underdog
Three years ago, Jorge “El Nino de Oro” Linares was defending his WBA and The Ring lightweight titles as an underdog to Vasyl Lomachenko after being a world champ the previous seven fights. Linares was also an underdog in his first fight with Anthony Crolla to win the WBA and The Ring belts but was favored in all the other fights over that span.
Haney vs Linares Preview
With this being Linares’ 53rd pro fight, there’s no denying he’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning. He still holds an impressive 47-5 record with 29 wins coming by knockout, though all five of his defeats have come in the same manner.
He is a very aggressive fighter, cutting the ring off effectively and keeping a high guard as he walks forward while snapping out his jab. With this approach, he tries to suffocate his foes, get them tired and then let his hands fly for the knockout. His right hook to the body is fast, accurate and devastating – a shot he used to drop Lomachenko in their fight in 2018. However, with his forward pressure, he has a tendency to walk into heavy shots and he rarely retreats after entering the pocket.
Haney will have to make Linares work
Haney is very talented and has outstanding boxing skills as a whole. He has crisp combinations with a variety of different strikes while also being accurate and innovative. The Dream does tend to lack big punching power. Fifteen of his 25 wins have come by knockout but only two of his last six.
His speed, which he carries through the entire bout, could be the difference-maker later in the fight and he’d be wise to use his footwork to tire out Linares before loading up some strikes later in the bout. Additionally, his long, snappy jab will be important to keep Linares at distance and could force him to rush in where Haney can catch him with a heavier hook.
Haney vs Linares Pick
The first few rounds could be dicey for Haney as Linares may be the larger man but being 13 years older, he may try to put the pedal down early since he may not have much in the later rounds. I think if Haney can capitalize on some openings created by his footwork, he can make Linares feel his age and ultimately start pulling away midway through the fight, perhaps en route to a late-round finish.
