Devin Haney Plots Return And Looks To Turki Alalshikh For Payday He Feels He Deserves

Devin Haney found his career in an unusual place following the craziness that was his grudge match against Ryan Garcia in April.

In the hours and initial days that followed, Haney was coming to terms with his first defeat having lost a majority-decision to Garcia after getting knocked down three times. ‘The Dream’ retained his WBC super-lightweight world title, though, after ‘King Ry’ missed weight – by a lot – and was therefore ineligible to compete for the belt.

Of course, what ultimately transpired was far more controversial. Garcia was found to have failed two pre-fight drug tests after traces of banned performance enhancers were detected in his system. The Californian is now serving a one-year suspension and Haney’s record has been corrected and remains unblemished.

In retrospect, Haney should have gained plaudits and sympathy; he took a heavier, bigger opponent with PEDs in his system to a majority decision and dominated most rounds, with only the knockdowns proving the difference.

Had Garcia made weight and not taken banned substances, would Haney have absorbed those shots that sent him to the canvas? Who knows, but the damage had been done. The defeat might have been overturned, but the lasting images from that Brooklyn night were of Haney stumbling about the ring desperate to survive the count.

Haney Left At Crossroads

Haney would have hoped to move on from the whole debacle and turn his focus back to boxing, but more disappointment was around the corner. The WBC ordered the Californian to face mandatory challenger Sandor Martin, but a lack of interest from promoters resulted in a solitary purse bid, from Top Rank of $2.42 million.

It left Haney angry and despondent as the two-weight world champion vowed to take a break from boxing and evaluate his future.

This week, however, ‘The Dream’ has suggested he is plotting his return after posting on social media: “The game ain’t been the same… bout time I come back … I gave y’all three months.”

Haney would no doubt be delighted to see in the comments Turki Alalshikh, who replied with: “Deliver the job champ,” before adding: “Waiting for you in Riyadh.”

The Saudi Arabian powerbroker is becoming an increasingly influential figure within boxing to the point where he might be the most powerful man in the sport. The heavyweight division is almost entirely under Alalshikh’s control, with the biggest fights taking place under the ‘Riyadh Season’ banner both in Saudi Arabia and internationally.

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Alalshikh Continues Boxing Takeover

Alalshikh is now branching out from the big guys, adopting a central role in guiding the next stage of Terence Crawford’s career and taking his shows to Los Angeles and London. Fighters who appear on his cards are always generously paid, while the headline stars enjoy career-high paydays.

Haney has several interesting options to pursue, some of which would surely pique the interest of Alalshikh and his Riyadh Season boxing shows. The American may not be a world champion now – he vacated his WBC title after refusing the purse offer to fight Martin – but he carries the status of one.

A career-WBC fighter, Haney will want to get his hands on a world title, and there are reports that he is in contention to fight the WBC’s welterweight champion Mario Barrios. That could intrigue Alalshikh, who insists he’s more interested in putting on the best fights, regardless of belts – although the high stakes of world title boxing invariably feature when the best fight each other.

Could that open the door to a bout with WBA super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez? That’s been a fight fans have called for since Haney and Lopez were lightweight world champions.

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Haney v Garcia Rematch?

Surely the one Alalshilh would be most keen to make is the rematch with Garcia. The Saudi is determined to generate as much interest as possible in his shows, and there is no other bout Haney could be involved in that would capture a global audience – purists and casuals alike.

True to form, the trigger-fingered tweeter that is Garcia thrust himself into the conversation on X by replying to Alalshikh’s message to Haney: “We can set that up in Riyadh if you would like Mr Turki. I will do all you ask including drug testing everyday. So please if you can make it happen.”

Alalshikh reposted Garcia’s message and replied with emojis of a boxing glove and flame, suggesting – as it does in the social media era – that the rematch could be on his radar.

Haney has often expressed his thoughts about being underpaid, but the truth is, unless he’s in a fight against a fellow star like Vasiliy Lomachenko or Garcia, he struggles to justify the purses he believes he deserves.

Perhaps a link-up with Alalshikh and the chance to fight on Riyadh Season shows will see Haney get paid the money he feels he warrants. For that to happen, though, he will need to be involved exclusively in big fights – and none come bigger than the Garcia rematch.