Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is set to make his long-awaited return this Friday, May 2, against Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs). The match will co-headline an epic tripleheader at Times Square.

In the main event, Ryan Garcia will take on Rolly Romero for the WBA welterweight title. If both Haney and Garcia are successful in their matches Friday night, they will face each other in October. Haney versus Ramirez will be fought at a catchweight of 144 pounds. Both fighters feel they’ll be better suited at this weight.

“I feel good…having those extra four pounds have made the weight cut much easier. I’m hoping to show a new Jose Ramirez. I work hard and I want it to show,” said Ramirez of the catchweight at yesterday’s open workout. In his last match against Arnold Barboza Jr., the weight cut to 140 was challenging; he feels he can no longer make that weight. He should perform better and as a result should be much stronger.

Ramirez is a 2012 Olympian; he possesses skills that could present difficulties for Haney. Questions remain as to whether  Devin is the same fighter after having suffered multiple knockdowns against Garcia last April.  How will his chin hold up? Ramirez has decent power, and if given the right opening, could potentially land a punch to test Haney’s chin.

Devin has spent the last year bettering himself by working on his skills. He understands the  mistakes he made against Garcia and has worked on not making them again. One of the things  he’ll look to do against Ramirez is to fight his fight and utilize his strengths by boxing a technical  match. Devin is the quicker and more agile boxer and will seek to box Ramirez at range. Barboza was able to minimize Jose’s offense by utilizing in-and-out movement and an effective jab that kept him at bay. He threw 355 jabs, landing 79 of them. Haney has one of the best jabs  in the sport, landing it at a 25 percent rate (Compubox).

“Styles make fights. He does a lot of good things and a lot of bad things in there. It’s my job to go in there and handicap him of the good things he does and exploit the bad things,” said  Haney of Ramirez. At 32 years of age, Ramirez will be tested against the 26-year-old Haney.  Jose is a pressure fighter, and to be truly effective, he’ll have to find a way to close the distance and cut the ring against an elusive boxer like Haney. “This is a great fight on paper, but it’s a mismatch. Ramirez has a tailor-made style for me. I know he’s gonna put on the pressure. If he comes in stupid, then I will put him down,” said Haney of what he expects from Ramirez on fight night. Devin must be careful not to overlook or underestimate Jose as he did against Garcia, or

it could potentially cost him again. He’s been training for the last year but hasn’t competed professionally in that time. There could be some ring rust early for Haney. He must stay disciplined and stick to the game plan. Although he’s facing an aging fighter in Ramirez, at 144, he’s a legitimate threat.