By Brian Webber: Devin Haney says Teofimo Lopez isn’t the top guy at 140 despite his recent victory over former undisputed light welterweight champion Josh Taylor.
Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) feels that WBC champion Regis Prograis is the #1 fighter in the 140-lb division, so he’s negotiating a fight with him. Those two still don’t have a set date, but it’s supposed to be in October.
If Haney can beat Prograis, his next logical fight would be against WBO champion Teofimo in a two-belt unification. It would be a massive money fight, putting the winner in position to go after the last two remaining 140-lb belts against WBA champ Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero and IBF champion Subriel Matias.
It’s vital that Haney’s next fight with Prograis not be tainted with controversy like his previous one against Vasily Lomachenko because he was booed out of the arena last May at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Boxing fans everywhere thought the judges robbed Lomachenko,
“Right now, we’re just ironing out some things in the contract. Hopefully, it gets announced soon, and we can iron those things out and make the fight happen,” said Devin Haney to K.O. Artist Sports about his negotiations for his fight against WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis in October.
“I can’t say he’s ‘The guy,’” said Haney about WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez. “He’s probably the most popular in the 140-lb division, but I think Regis would be that guy at 140.”
This writer’s top 10 at 140:
1. Subriel Matias
2. Gary Antuanne Russell
3. Sandor Martin
4. Teofimo Lopez
5. Regis Progais
6. Arnold Barboza Jr.
7. Richardson Hitchins
8. Jose Ramirez
9. Jose Zepeda
10. Liam Paro
“Obviously, right now, we’re pursuing the WBC in the 140-lb division, but I still have my spot at 135, and maybe we go back down after and see.
“That fight [Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou] wasn’t announced yet, and I don’t think Regis even had a date [October 28th]. When I told him, he didn’t know what I was talking about, but that was the actual date that we were supposed to fight. Now Eddie [Hearn] came out and said it now.
“We’re trying to iron out some things in the contract, and hopefully, we can make the fight happen. I think that was if I’m going to go back down. We’re talking one fight at a time.
“We’re going to pursue the 140-pound division. If I’m victorious, we’ll see what happens,” said Haney.
