Shakur Stevenson: Devin Haney wants fight to exploit weight edge

Shakur Stevenson says Devin Haney's recent push for a fight stems from a simple calculation: weight advantage.

The Ring Magazine reports that Stevenson, who holds The Ring and WBO titles at 140 pounds, believes the Haney camp has ramped up their calls for the bout specifically because Haney now operates at 147. The Newark native suggested the move up in divisions gives the former undisputed lightweight champion — who captured the WBO welterweight strap late last year — a built-in edge he would not have against natural welterweights.

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"You're begging to fight someone that's way smaller than you, just like they did for Tank for years," Stevenson told The Daily Mail. "You ain't eager to jump up and fight [Jaron] Ennis at 154, that ain't what you're thinking about. You want an advantage over somebody."

Stevenson proposes 144-pound catchweight

Stevenson has floated a 144-pound catchweight as middle ground. He acknowledged Haney would still carry a size edge on fight night — "When me and Devin fight, Devin is going to be 20 pounds bigger," he said — but pointed to Floyd Mayweather's win over Canelo Alvarez and Oleksandr Usyk's victory over Tyson Fury as proof the smaller man can prevail. "I'm all for it," Stevenson added. "I think that's gonna show why I'm truly pound-for-pound the No. 1 fighter in the sport of boxing."

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Haney has not competed at 140 pounds since 2023. Whether he accepts the catchweight proposal or insists on a full welterweight bout will determine if the fight materializes this year.

Source: ringmagazine.com