WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney 31-1 (15) says he will walk away from the sport to “spend some of my money” after a tumultuous start to the year.
The former Ring Magazine and undisputed lightweight champion has been venting his frustrations on social media in the past 48 hours after Top Rank won a purse bid for the mandatory title fight against tricky Spanish southpaw Sandor Martin 42-3 (15).
The Las Vegas-based promotional outfit won the bid with an offer of USD$2.42 million. Top Rank co-promote the 30-year-old Martin alongside Italy’s OPI Since 82.
Such is the interest in the fight, Top Rank were the sole bidder. Matchroom Boxing, who have co-promoted Haney’s last two bouts, didn’t bother to place an offer.
Nor did the 25-year-old Las Vegas-based San Franciscan’s own promotional company, Devin Haney Promotions.
Still, it didn’t stop Haney from letting his feeling be known on social media.
“Wow Matchroom, nasty work,” he posted, before adding: “I’m promoting myself from now on, or I might just work with…”
As an uncontracted fighter Matchroom Boxing had no obligation to bid on the fight, particularly one that there was no public appetite for.
“We don’t have a contract with Devin,” Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn explained to Ariel Helwani.
“It’s not an appealing fight, wasn’t a fight [broadcast partner] DAZN were motivated by or one that had any value. Devin is a free agent and has his own promotional company.”
A quick visit to the Devin Haney Promotions website shows a landing page designed to sell merchandise. A plain white t-shirt with the DHP logo printed on the front in black will set you back USD$52.
Bob Arum of Top Rank said he understood Hearn’s reasoning.
“Eddie Hearn and DAZN have their own agenda. Maybe their money was directed elsewhere to other fights,” Arum said to FightHype.
“We put a bid in based on what we thought the fight was worth. We won the bid and nobody else bid anyway. We intend to put the fight on if Haney is willing to go through with the fight. If he’s not, he’ll give up the title and do other things.”
Haney reportedly pocketed more than eight figures for his last fight against Ryan Garcia 25-1 (20) in New York in April, but it came at a cost.
Los Angelan Garcia, 25, made little attempt to make weight, coming in three-and-a-quarter pounds over the junior welterweight limit of 140lbs. Haney was dropped three times and lost via majority decision.
To add insult to injury, Garcia’s drugs test conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) came back dirty for the banned substance ostarine.
The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) is convening later this week to determine an appropriate penalty for Garcia, which could see his win over Haney overturned to a no-contest and a lengthy ban for the sport.
In the meantime, a disillusioned Haney says he is planning on taking a break from the sport while things shake out.
“I’m going to take some time, spend some of my money,” Haney posted to social media.
“I will travel the world and I’ll be back in two years after Ryan suspension, then we can fight again.”
