By Dan Ambrose: The WBC will be reinstating Devin Haney as their lightweight [135-pound] champion. According to Michael Benson, the World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman is restoring Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) as the lightweight champion now that his shoulder injury has healed, and he’s ready to begin fighting again.
This still isn’t official, though. We’ll have to wait and see until Sulaiman nd the WBC makes it official that Haney is now back as their lightweight champion.
Luke Campbell says he’s still facing Javier Fortuna for the vacant WBC lightweight title, and he’s confident that it will take place.
The WBC demoted Haney to ‘Champion in Recess’ after he injured his right shoulder in his 12 round unanimous decision victory over challenger Alfredo Santiago on November 9.
Haney won’t have to face Fortuna vs. Campbell winner
They had planned on having #1 WBC Javier Fortuna and #2 Luke Campbell battle for the vacant WBC lightweight title. But now that Haney is fully healed, the WBC president Sulaiman has decided to have him reinstated as champion.
It’s unclear what happens with Campbell and Fortuna. Presumably, Campbell will need to get back in line and try and fight for a secondary mandatory spot. Fortuna is already the WBC mandatory to Haney, so he should be the one that faces him next when boxing restarts.
Haney, 21, wasn’t too happy with the speed with which the WBC changed his status from lightweight champion to ‘Champion in Recess.’
Fastest in the world 🤧#TheDream pic.twitter.com/nMxxLJiZlp
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) April 6, 2020
Campbell insists he’s facing Fortuna for WBC title
“The WBC has ordered us to fight, and the fight will be taking place for the WBC World title,” said Campbell to Seconds Out about him fighting Fortuna next. “Everything has been put on hold. Not just this fight but everything. The match will be rescheduled, and there’s nothing that you can do about it. It’s already been ordered.
“The WBC didn’t even ask Haney to be put in recess. They just put him in recess and made this fight. Oh yeah,” said Campbell when asked if he would like to fight Haney after he beats Fortuna to win the vacant WBC title.
“100 percent, I’d love that fight. It’s a massive fight on both ends of the pond, and I’d love it to be in the best or the so-called best. I want to be in there and beating him.
“I think in a rematch, I’d beat him,” said Campbell on Vasiliy Lomachenko. “It’ll be interesting to see how [Teofimo] Lopez gets on with Lomachenko, and see how he copes with him.
