Devin Haney asserts that he spoke with promoter Eddie Hearn regarding a contest with Regis Prograis, the WBC light welterweight champion. Haney claims that he called Hearn, not the other way around. If accurate, this would imply that undisputed lightweight champion Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) has chosen to face 35-year-old Prograis rather than the top contenders at 135, Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta Davis.
Fighting Prograis would be nothing more than a foxhole for Haney to hide in as fans turn up the heat on him to take on Shakur, Tank, and—most importantly—give Vasyl Lomachenko a rematch in a neutral location outside of Nevada.
Haney had no intention of fighting Shakur, as seen by how he fled the ring when he attempted to call him out last Saturday. Shakur acknowledged later that he was repulsed to watch Haney leave the ring.
Reasons Haney would want Prograis to include the following:
1. Needs an excuse to avoid Tank Davis and Shakur
2. Need help to bear the strain of winning.
3. After the Loma battle, his confidence was lost, and he realized he would lose his next fight.
I’m thinking bout it.. I’m assuming Eddie told you about that lil call I just gave em 😏 https://t.co/8CXkoayv0b
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) May 26, 2023
& for the record.. I called Eddie about making a Regis fight. He didn’t call me! 😤
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) May 26, 2023
Not even a week from the last fight.. & I got that itch already.. I needa go on vacation lol I’m bored
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) May 26, 2023
To avoid having to deal with the murderer’s row—Shakur Stevenson, Gervonta Davis, Keyshawn Davis, Frank Martin, William Zepeda, Isaac Cruz, and Raymond Muratalla—Haney must quickly get rid of the four minor titles he now has. The problem is that Haney recently lost to 35-year-old Vasyl Lomachenko, who, royally, exposed him as lacking the skills necessary to be the four-belt champion at lightweight.
To get things moving, Prograis (28-0, 24 KOs) personally invited Haney to watch his upcoming title defence against Danielito Zorrilla (17-1, 13 KOs), a former victim of Arnold Barboza Jr., next month on June 17 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Haney ought to grant Lomachenko a rematch instead of attempting to fight Prograis to end the debate over what the boxing community sees as a robbery. Haney can’t separate himself from that consequence, no matter how hard he tries.
Haney’s move to the 140-pound weight class to avoid fighting Shakur and Tank and giving Lomachenko a rematch won’t be useful. Haaney is unable to run from them. Before proceeding to 140, they anticipate Haney will confront his fears and sink with his ship at 135.