Shakur Stevenson targets Devin Haney at 144 pounds for Zuffa debut

Shakur Stevenson wants Devin Haney at 144 pounds for his first fight under the Zuffa Boxing banner.

The four-division champion told Inside The Ring on Monday that Haney tops his wish list after the Haneys began calling him out unprompted. "I wasn't really thinking about Devin, but out of nowhere, him and Bill Haney started calling my name," Stevenson said, per The Ring. "So since they started calling my name, I'm a guy who likes to answer phone calls. Devin right now is my No. 1 priority."

Haney expected to vacate WBO welterweight title

Stevenson said he expects Haney to vacate the WBO 147-pound strap rather than defend it against mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis in late June. The two agreed on social media in early June to meet at a 144-pound catch weight. Haney recently stopped Brian Norman Jr. in Saudi Arabia to claim the welterweight belt and now sits at No. 1 in The Ring's 147-pound rankings.

Stevenson, who stopped Teofimo Lopez at Madison Square Garden on January 31 to capture The Ring and WBO 140-pound titles, said beating Haney back-to-back would cement his case as the sport's top pound-for-pound fighter. The Newark southpaw also named Gervonta Davis near the top of his target list.

Zuffa Boxing announced Stevenson's signing last Thursday. Haney has been rumored for the same promotional outfit but remains unsigned. Inside The Ring streams Mondays at 2 p.m. ET on DAZN.

Source: ringmagazine.com