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Devin Haney needs to put on a brilliant performance against Zaur Abdullaev and call out Vasyl Lomachenko later tonight in New York, according to his promoter Eddie Hearn. Haney, one of the
best young talents in the sport, takes on Russian Abduallaev for the WBC interim lightweight world title at the Hulu Theatre in Madison Square Garden. The 20-year-old has an undefeated
record of 22-0 and has gone on record in the past to say that he wants to face Lomachenko for the Ukrainian’s world title belts. Haney is already being tipped to become one of the United
States’ rising boxing stars and many believe him to be one of the main threats to Lomachenko’s reign at the top of the lightweight division. Lomachenko, who possesses the WBC, WBO and WBA
belts, is in line to face the winner of Richard Commey and Teofimo Lopez, who are fighting for the IBF strap in December, early next year. Those plans would leave likely mandatory challenger
Haney out in the cold, but Hearn has laid down the blueprint for trying to make a Lomachenko fight. He told Express Sport: “You have to force those fights. If I’m Haney what I do is beat
Abduallaev on Friday and then say ‘you’re saying you want to fight again this year, I’m your mandatory’. “Lopez and Commey are fighting at the end of the year, Lomachenko will be fighting
the winner next year. So he could [force] the Lomachenko fight for December. “Haney has got to look brilliant on Friday and then the public will go ‘f**k, we want that fight now’. And that’s
the way that fight happens.” Hearn has reservations, however, over the willingness of Lomachenko's promoter Bob Arum to let that fight happen before the undisputed bout, because of the
risk involved. Hearn added: "They won’t let it happen, though. It’s too risky for them, Lomachenko wants the undisputed fight, so you have to wait for him to step out so Haney can slot
in. “But Haney is growing, he really has to look at how long he stays at 135. He’s a big boy and he’s 20 years old, so he’s got to get that world title fight by spring. “So we’ll be saying
to Lomachenko either vacate or fight Haney.” Haney’s last bout came against Antonio Moran in May, a clash which the Las Vegas native ended with a devastating seventh-round knockout. Hearn
believes the sky is the limit for Haney, who has to be careful against a very game Abduallev. He said: “He’s 20 years old, 22-0, unbelievable. And by the way this Abduallaev fight is a tough
fight for him, he’s a very competent undefeated Russian who can punch, he’s strong. “It’s going to be interesting to see what happens.”