Devin Haney Begins Sparring; Who Is Next?
Devin Haney has returned to training as all eyes turn towards his next opponent.
Haney’s last boxing fight was in April against Ryan Garcia. He was sent to the canvas three times as he suffered a majority decision defeat. But the decision was turned into a no-contest after Garcia failed VADA tests for Ostarine. The decision meant that Garcia received a one-year ban, while Haney had to regroup to recover his brand.
Coming into that fight, Haney was the WBC Junior Welterweight Champion. Since Garcia failed to make weight, Haney kept his belt. Haney was ordered to face his WBC mandatory, Sandor Martin, but Haney decided against that. He was stripped and became the ‘Champion in Recess.’ Haney now has to decide where he goes next. He could stay at 140 pounds and secure some big unification fights. The biggest ones at the moment appear to be against Teofimo Lopez, who is the WBO Junior Welterweight Champion.
Haney’s Options
There is also the opportunity to fight Liam Paro, the IBF Junior Welterweight Champion. Paro works with Matchroom Boxing, someone Haney is closely aligned with, making that fight easier to make. He would have to travel, most likely to Australia. He has been there twice when he faced George Kambosos Jr.
If Haney decides to move up, he could target a fight at 147. Mario Barrios is the WBC Welterweight Champion and is considered the weakest out of the champions in that division. But Barrios will box in November against Abel Ramos. That means that any fight would have to take place sometime next year.
Another alternative is to chase a mega fight with Jarron Ennis. However, taking that fight as the first in the weight class at 147 is very risky. Eddie Hearn is also unlikely to match two of his biggest stars against each other. There is also the Garcia rematch. Haney has stated that he would like to set things right, saying he believes he can beat Garcia on a level playing field.
Haney vs. Garcia
“The next fight [with Ryan Garcia] will be on my terms. We caught the guy cheating. So, wherever the fight is at, it’s going to be on my terms. I’m not fighting in weight classes anymore. I’m fighting any weight I choose. I love belts. Belts put you in history forever, but I did that already,” Haney stated
Garcia had mixed reactions towards this. He first ruled out a rematch before saying he believes he could beat him again. Since Garcia can only box from April 2025 onwards, Haney and Ryan will most likely want a fight in between before they consider that. Either way, Haney is back in the gym and putting in the work. The following images show him getting his gloves on with his father, Bill Haney, next to him. Haney then can be seen sparring as he prepares for a comeback.
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