Devin Haney makes first defence of WBC lightweight title

Unbeaten Devin Haney successfully defended his WBC lightweight title for first time with a unanimous decision over Alfredo Santiago on Saturday night. American Haney, who turns 21 on vember 17, kcked Santiago down in fifth round of a surprisingly close fight at Staples Center Arena in Los Angeles. This was Haney's first defence of 135-pound title which was given to him after it was vacated by top-ranked Vasiliy Lomachenko who was n awarded new title of WBC "franchise champion".

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Haney won every round on judges' scorecards but Santiago made him work for victory. All three judges scored it 120-107 for Haney, who was heavy favourite going into bout but couldn't give American boxing crowd kckout y were craving. Haney said after fight that he thought he dislocated his right shoulder in fight but couldn't remember in which round.

"It was bad whole fight," he said of shoulder. "I am t sure what round but he was on ropes and I threw a right hand. "He was very crafty. I went in re and got win. We received this opponent on a week tice." 

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Santiago was kcked down by a right uppercut late in fifth round but got up at count of eight and survived final 13 seconds of round. Haney was unable to carry that momentum over into sixth round as Santiago recovered and kept most of rounds close by using his reach advant to keep Haney at a distance. Santiago, who was making his US debut, suffered his first defeat and is w 12-1, with four kckouts.

Santiago is from Dominican Republic but fights out of Puerto Rico. He was coming off a technical kckout of Diego Contreras in June. Despite struggling against an unkwn late replacement, Haney hopes he did eugh to strengn his case for a shot at unified lightweight champ Lomachenko. Haney and Santiago had to fight on undercard of a main event velty fight between a pair of YouTube entertainers, American Logan Paul and Olajide William Olatunji, also kwn as KSI. England's KSI won battle to see who is king of social media with a split decision six-round victory over Paul.

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