This past Tuesday, WBC Lightweight Champion, Devin “The Dream” Haney (24-0, 15 KOs), was awarded “Fighter of the Year” by the Nevada Boxing Hall-of-Fame in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The young boxer with ties to both Oakland, California and Las Vegas, Nevada, had a dominant 2019, defeating Xolisani Ndongeni, Antonio Moran, Zaur Abdullaev and Alfredo Santiago, becoming the youngest WBC lightweight world champion in the last 23 years.
“It is an honor to be given such an award,” said 21-year-old Devin Haney.
“I work hard, and I have the right team around me. My goal is to be mentioned with the greats of this sport. Awards are special but more importantly I want the big fights.
“I know I have an extremely high boxing IQ and skill set that makes fighters avoid me but I’m ready for anybody in the world. This award for me is motivation and I’m very thankful to the Nevada Boxing Hall-of-Fame for declaring me fighter of the year 2019.”
Haney is not the only Oakland California representative to be honored. Oakland’s own 2004 gold medal Olympian and undefeated two-division world champion Andre Ward, is being inducted into the hall-of-fame on the same day.
Both Ward and Haney who were born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland, represent the Bay Area.
