"Coming into this fight I wanted to make a statement. There were a lot of rumours going around that I didn't have punching power, I couldn't knock guys out, but as you see, I can."
Sunday 26 May 2019 09:23, UK
Devin Haney secured a sensational seventh-round knockout against Antonio Moran in the early hours of Sunday morning at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland.
Haney dropped Moran in the fifth round with a crunching body shot before landing a devastating overhand right to end the contest without a count in the seventh.
The stunning knockout victory saw the highly-rated 20-year-old lightweight extend his record to 22 straight wins, 14 inside the distance, and retain his WBC international and WBO inter-continental titles.
"Coming into this fight I wanted to make a statement," Haney told Sky Sports afterwards."
"There were a lot of rumours going around that I didn't have punching power, I couldn't knock guys out, but as you see, I can.
"I went in there and broke my opponent down and then I knocked him out."
Moran started on the front foot but Haney landed an overhand right to shade the opener and in the second round showed off his superior footwork and defensive skills to avoid some swinging hooks.
Haney added power to his shots in the third and was beating his man to the punch in the fourth with swift counters before hurting him with a body shot before the bell.
The American sent Moran to the canvas with a short-right hand to the body in the fifth and finished the round by landing uppercuts and painful hooks downstairs.
After taking a breather in the sixth, Haney landed a one-two in the seventh to back the Mexican into a corner, delivered a left to the body followed by a powerful overhand right to end the fight.
Moran crumbled to the floor and remained on his back where he received medical attention before eventually making it to his feet.
