Devin Haney’s boxing career has taken a series of unexpected blows in recent months. First came the upset defeat to his rival, Ryan Garcia, in April. This not only tarnished Haney’s previously undefeated record (31-1), but also raised questions about the fight’s fairness. Garcia weighed in over the super lightweight limit and reportedly failed pre-fight drug tests for Ostarine, a performance-enhancing substance [1].
Adding insult to injury, Haney’s promotional situation appears precarious. Top Rank Boxing, his current promoter, won the purse bid for his next fight against Sandor Martin with a surprisingly low offer of $2.42 million [2]. This represents a significant pay cut for Haney, who was likely expecting a much larger payday after his championship reign.
Disgruntled by the underwhelming purse and what he perceives as a lack of support from Matchroom Boxing (Haney’s advisor), Haney has taken his frustrations public. He now faces a difficult decision: should he vacate his WBC 140-pound title and explore opportunities elsewhere, pursue an IBF title shot, or stay with the WBC and fight for a more favorable purse split under their promotional guidelines [3]?
Haney’s next move will be closely watched by boxing fans. Will he remain loyal to his current team despite the recent setbacks, or will he seek greener pastures with a new promoter? One thing is certain: the once-undefeated champion finds himself at a crossroads, with the outcome potentially impacting the future trajectory of his boxing career.
