The motivation for pairing Devin Haney and Jose Ramirez on Friday at an iconic venue like New York's Times Square was, at least theoretically, to promote a Haney rematch with Ryan Garcia.
What it probably did, though, was to make a number of fans vow to never watch either Haney or Ramirez again. They circled the ring for 12 rounds Friday like they were getting their legs loose before the fight. What they never did in 36 minutes of yawn-inducing "action" was to actually fight.
Haney won by scores of 119-109 twice and 118-110, but he fought timidly and as if he were still having nightmares about the beating Garcia delivered him when they meet at the Barclays Center on April 20, 2024. Garcia dropped Haney three times and won a decision that was later overturned because of performance enhancing drugs found in Garcia's system.
Haney landed a puny total of 70 total punches, which is outrageously poor. But Ramirez connected on just 17 in, if it's possible, an even worse performance. Teofimo Lopez, in his win earlier over Arnold Barboza, landed 126 total punches, more than Haney and Ramirez combined.
If Chuck Barris was there, he'd have gonged these two in the third round.
That's all that needs to be said about that disaster.
On to the next.