By Adam Baskin: In a strange move, the WBC has given Devin Haney to lightweight ‘Champion in Recess’ tag, allowing him to move up to light welterweight to challenge champion Regis Progais in October.
Haney being demoted to ‘Champion in Recess’ essentially means he’s been stripped of his WBC lightweight title. That’s what it comes down to, a Haney is no longer the champion, but he can fight for the belt against the next champion.
The WBC says Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) can return to the 135-lb division and challenge for his former title with a 50-50 split. Adam Baskin would say the odds of Haney agreeing to fight Shakur Stevenson for the WBC belt are about zero.
WBC makes a strange decision
Typically, the World Boxing Council gives their ‘Champion in Recess’ tag to their belt-holders that are injured or inactive for whatever reason.
The WBC board of governors’ decision to give Haney the tag suggests that they’re looking out for him because he really should be stripped because he’s bypassing his lightweight mandatory Shakur Stevenson to go up to 140 for his own personal reasons, which involves these three things:
- Money
- Capturing WBC 140 title gives him a bargaining chip to negotiate a fight with Teofimo Lopez, the WBO champ.
- Legacy – to become a two-division champ
Most would agree that Haney won’t try to win back his belt because that would likely mean fighting Shakur Stevenson, who Devin recently offered 25% and was firm with that offer.
If Haney does return to 135, it’ll be to make a straightforward defense of his IBF belt against his mandatory George Kambosos Jr. Yeah, it’ll look bad Haney fighting Kambosos, a guy he’s beaten twice, but it’s easy money and much after than risking his unbeaten record fighting Shakur.
Haney is one of those types of fighters that takes calculated risks rather than ones that are 50-50.
Haney hopes Gervonta Davis will show interest in fighting him for his remaining three lightweight belts, but it’s unknown whether the Baltimore native will entertain the idea.
Shakur Stevenson to fight for vacant WBC belt
The WBC will order #2 Shakur Stevenson to fight #1 Vasily Lomachenko for the vacant lightweight title they stripped from Haney. If Lomachenko refuses, the WBC will move down the list of contenders in their top 15 ranking at 135.
Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz is #3 in the WBC’s rankings, but he’s put his career in a holding pattern, avoiding risky fights while waiting & hoping for a rematch against Gervonta Davis.
Eventually, one of the contenders in the WBC’s top 15 rankings will agree to fight Shakur for the vacant 135-lb title.