Haney Denies Ducking Stevenson, Shakur Targets Lomachenko

In the latest boxing news, Devin Haney has rejected claims that he ducked Shakur Stevenson despite his 75/25 offer to the fighter.

Prior to the ‘Dream’ moving up to 140, the boxer offered Stevenson the split for the fight. The purse would have been the highest of Stevenson’s career, even with the smaller percentage.

Instead, Stevenson enforced his position as a WBC mandatory which was then followed up by Haney moving to 140. That led to suggestions that Haney had ducked Stevenson and that the offer was not legitimate.

In response, Haney called out Shakur on the grounds that he could have taken the offer if he backed himself. After all, Haney had done a similar thing by taking a lower offer to fight George Kambosos Jr. for all of the belts. And given that he came out victorious, Haney questioned why Stevenson did not do the same.

Haney On Stevenson

“Shakur knows what time it is with me. He knows that my offer was legitimate, and if he really believed in himself and if he believed that I was everything that he claimed that I was, he would have taken the fight. It was the most money that he would have ever made in all his fights put together with that 25%, and that’s facts, that’s 100%. If he felt like I was so easy, so green, whatever he says, then he would have taken the fight, and he would have had a shot at the undisputed [lightweight] titles like I did,” Haney stated 

At the same time, Stevenson has vowed to prove his skills if he does manage to secure a bout with Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Following Haney’s move up to 140, Stevenson was required to face the next-highest-ranked contender by virtue of being the WBC interim champion at 135.

Although the fighter in question was Lomachenko, the Ukrainian confirmed that he would not be fighting in 2023 as per Bob Arum.

“Well, you know, he’s rated very highly in all the organizations so eventually he’ll fight for a lightweight title. I think his mind right now is not on fighting, very disappointed with the judges scoring in the Haney fight. So I think we’re probably look to see Lomachenko come back next year,” Arum

Stevenson On Lomachenko

The controversial loss to Haney left the Ukrainian with plenty to ponder moving forward. And yet, Stevenson was left perplexed over the reasons as to why the Loma fight did not get  made.

“He got a big name at 135. So, when I smoke him I think that the world would understand that I really am the truth. I would love to fight Lomachenko. I don’t know why we didn’t fight this fight. That shoulda been the next fight. I heard he got offered the biggest purse of his career and turned it down. So hopefully, we can still make something happen. I don’t see why not. I think it’s a possibility that I stop him. And if not, I’ll be beating the sh!t out of him,” Stevenson stated