Bill Haney says Devin Haney will not return to lower divisions and expects Stevenson to move up for the fight
Bill Haney says Devin Haney will only fight Shakur Stevenson at welterweight, shutting down any possibility of moving back to 140 or 135 pounds for the matchup. Haney’s father made it clear Stevenson would need to move up if the fight is ever finalized.
“The way that fight could be made, you got 147, you got 135. Now, what we’re willing to do, what is that 11 pound difference? Shakur can take eight of them pounds and go up to 144. We wouldn’t even ask him to meet us halfway,” said Bill to Million Dollaz Worth of Game.
Bill later rejected the idea of Devin returning to a lower weight.
“We’re not going down no more pounds,” said Bill about Haney staying at 147, and not returning to 140 or 135 to accommodate Shakur.
He continued pushing the idea that Devin’s future is strictly at welterweight.
“Devin is the baddest motor scooter at 147 pounds. And he’s the welterweight champion of the world, the king of the welterweight division, the money division, the glamour division,” said Bill, placing his son as the #1 fighter at 147.
Bill also argued that a catchweight fight with Shakur would take away from the achievement if Stevenson moved up through multiple divisions.
“If it’s at a catchweight 144, then it wouldn’t be for the belt, nor to me would it represent what truly a five-division champ and Shakur would make him,” said Bill.
Despite the weight dispute, Bill still praised Shakur and described the matchup as one of the biggest fights available.
“Shakur is a bad at 144, and he’s a bad at 147 for anybody,” said Bill.
Shakur recently moved up to 140 after his win over Teofimo Lopez earlier this year, while Devin captured the WBO welterweight title against Brian Norman Jr.
The comments suggest the weight issue could become the biggest obstacle if talks between the two sides ever become serious.
