LAS VEGAS – Devin Haney apparently did enough earlier in their 12-round lightweight championship bout Saturday night to offset Vasiliy Lomachenko’s impressive showing in the later rounds of their thoroughly competitive, back-and-forth fight.

Much to the displeasure of many in the crowd of 14,436 at MGM Grand Garden Arena, the unbeaten Haney won their action-packed clash by unanimous decision to remain boxing’s fully unified 135-pound champion. Judge Dave Moretti scored eight rounds for Haney (116-112), who won seven rounds apiece on the cards of judges Tim Cheatham (115-113) and David Sutherland (115-113).

Moretti scored the 10th round for Haney, who lost what appeared to be a very strong 10th round for Lomachenko on the cards of Cheatham and Sutherland.

“Lomachenko is a future Hall of Famer,” Haney told ESPN’s Bernardo Osuna in the ring. “It was a blessing. He was my toughest opponent by far. He is very crafty, and we put on a great fight for the fans. He’s a crafty fighter. He turns it up in the championship rounds. I just have to take my hat off to him. He’s a great fighter.”

Haney, 24, made his second successful defense of his four belts since he became boxing’s undisputed lightweight champion by beating Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. on points nearly a year ago. The Oakland native retained his IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO 135-pound crowns.

Though Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) entered the ring as the youngest fully unified champion in any division during the four-belt era, Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) was generally regarded as the best opponent of Haney’s seven-year professional career. Lomachenko tested Haney accordingly, particularly in the later rounds, but Haney demonstrated that he could handle a complicated, experienced southpaw who is considered one of the best boxers of this generation.

Haney fought more aggressively than anticipated, took the fight to the shorter, older Lomachenko at times and dug to the body, particularly with his right hand.

Ukraine’s Lomachenko, 35, proved that he is still an elite-level fighter, despite his advanced age. Lomachenko performed much better than in his previous appearance – a 12-round, unanimous-decision victory over underdog Jamaine Ortiz on October 29 – yet he still lost for just the third time since he began his professional career almost 10 years ago.

“I don’t want to talk about [the decision],” Lomachenko said. “All the people saw what happened today.”

The three-division champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist started their fight Saturday night much faster than he did when he lost a 12-round unanimous decision to Teofimo Lopez in their lightweight title fight in October 2020 at MGM Grand Conference Center. Lomachenko also finished the fight strong, but none of the judges scored the fight for Haney.

“Before, I thought he would be better,” said Lomachenko, who broke down and cried in his locker room. “He’s a tough fighter. But he’s not a pound-for-pound fighter.”

Lomachenko and Haney both raised their fists toward each other after the final bell rang as a sign of respect following an intense firefight.

After having tremendous success in the 11th round, Lomachenko had more difficulty hitting Haney in the 12th round. Haney landed a straight right toward the end of the final round.

Lomachenko blasted Haney with a right uppercut barely a minute into the 11th round. Lomachenko picked Haney apart with head and body shots later in the 11th round.

A combination by Lomachenko caught Haney less than 30 seconds into the 11th round. Another combination by Lomachenko landed about 20 seconds later.

After getting rocked earlier in the 10th round, Haney clipped Lomachenko with a left hook to his head with about 40 seconds to go in it.

Lomachenko hurt Haney with a left uppercut that followed a straight left barely a minute into the 10th round. Haney held him to try to keep Lomachenko from following up and appeared to fight on steady legs soon thereafter.

Haney, who was bleeding from his mouth, landed hard rights to Lomachenko’s body during the final minute of the ninth round.

Lomachenko landed another straight left hand just before the midway mark of the ninth round. Haney caught Lomachenko with a left hook to the side of his head with about 1:50 to go in the ninth round.

Lomachenko landed a hard jab that made Haney hold him with just under 40 seconds remaining in the eighth round. Lomachenko went to his gloves and knees exactly a minute into the eighth round, but Dock determined it wasn’t from a punch.

Haney nailed Lomachenko with a left hook toward the end of the seventh round, which was one of his flushest punches to that point in the fight.

Haney caught Lomachenko with a right hand up top and then a right to the body near the halfway point of the seventh round. Multiple lefts by Lomachenko got Haney’s attention about 30 seconds into the seventh round.

Dock went to Haney’s corner before the seventh round began and warned him about hitting Lomachenko behind his head.

Haney caught Lomachenko with a right uppercut with just under 40 seconds on the clock in the sixth round. Dock warned Haney for hitting Lomachenko behind his head several seconds later.

Lomachenko’s short, left uppercut connected at the end of a combination just before the midway mark of the sixth round.

Haney tried to tie up Lomachenko with about 50 seconds on the clock in the fifth round, but Lomachenko fought out of it. Lomachenko caught Haney with a left just before the midway mark of the fifth round.

Haney connected with two right hands a little more than a minute into the fifth round. Haney landed a right hand to the body early in the fifth round.

Haney and Lomachenko got their legs tangled and crashed to the canvas together with just over 30 seconds on the clock in the fourth round.

Lomachenko landed a left as Haney tried to move away from him with about 1:05 to go in the fourth round. Lomachenko’s right hook punctuated a combination less than 40 seconds into the fourth round.

Haney and Lomachenko landed left hands in an exciting exchange with under a minute to go in the third round, but Lomachenko caught him with a flush left soon thereafter.

Dock warned Lomachenko for hitting Haney behind his head with about 1:10 to go in the third round. Lomachenko landed a straight left 1:20 into the third round.

Haney and Lomachenko both landed punches in an exchange several seconds before the second round ended.

Lomachenko connected with a left hand that moved Haney backward with just over a minute to go in the second round. Haney landed a hard right to Lomachenko’s body at almost exactly the halfway point of the second round.

Haney slipped many of Lomachenko’s punches in the first round, but Lomachenko landed a hard left when Haney was backed toward a corner soon before it ended. Lomachenko landed a short left at the end of a combination barely a minute into the opening round.

Haney landed a left hook that moved Lomachenko backward earlier in the first round.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for krikya360.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.