By Sean Jones: Eddie Hearn says Devin Haney will be returning to Matchroom Boxing and DAZN after he scoops up the four belts from George Kambosos Jr. on June 5th. Haney (27-0, 15 KOs) signed a three-fight deal with Top Rank and Lou DiBella so that he could face Kambosos (20-0, 15 KOs) for the undisputed lightweight championship.
The Kambosos fight is a two-fight deal for Haney with a third fight against Vasyl Lomachenko when/if he returns from the war in Ukraine later this year or in early 2023.
What Hearn doesn’t realize is Top Rank may choose to give Haney an offer he can’t refuse if he beats Kambosos twice and Lomachenko.
Right now, it’s too far off to know whether Haney will be the undisputed lightweight champion when the smoke clears from those three fights with Top Rank.
For all we know, Haney will lose all three of his fights under the Top Rank banner, which in that case, Hearn can have what’s left of him and his plummeting career.
Hearn is thinking of a best-case scenario with Haney heading into these three fights, but things could go very wrong for the 23-year-old.
If Haney loses all three of the fights with Top Rank, we’ll see whether Hearn still wants to welcome him back among his Matchroom & DAZN fold.
Sean Jones’s guess is Hearn won’t touch him with a 10-foot pole, and he might become invisible to him. What would Hearn want with Haney if he’s lost three straight?
Heck, Hearn has got problems as it is with Anthony Joshua’s career sinking with two losses in his last four fights. If AJ loses his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk in June, that could be the end for him.
“His plan is to go and get those belts and then come back. I want Devin to become undisputed. Devin’s a very loyal kid, but you can’t miss an opportunity like this,” said Eddie Hearn to the DAZN Boxing Show.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has already gotten the better of Hearn in the recent purse bid for the Tyson Fury vs. Dillian Whyte fight on April 23rd.
If Arum wants Haney to stay with Top Rank after his three-fight deal is done, you can bet that he’ll make that into a reality. Arum has a way of turning fighters into stars, and thus far, Hearn has failed to achieve with Haney.
Kambosos on Haney: “Do as you’re told”
“The official announcement hasn’t come yet, but we’re imminent and very close,” said Kambosos to Sporting News Australia. “I’m waiting to see the contract properly because he’s the B-side, so you do as you’re told.
“We’ll make sure it all looks good,” said Kambosos. “No fake signatures, and then we’ve got a fight no problem. I’m defending my beautiful belts.”