Stevenson fires back at Bill Haney as the WBO’s mandatory defense against Keyshawn Davis continues to complicate negotiations
Shakur Stevenson has told Devin Haney to vacate the WBO welterweight title if he wants their long-discussed fight to move forward. The unbeaten champion fired back at Bill Haney on social media as negotiations remain tangled around Haney’s mandatory obligation against Keyshawn Davis.
“You have the contract. Sign it.”
Stevenson quickly fired back on X.
“Shut yo ass up and vacate that belt so I could beat yall ass,” said Shakur.
The comments appear to reference the growing complications surrounding Haney’s WBO welterweight title. WBO President Gustavo Olivieri has repeatedly stated that Haney’s next obligation is a mandatory defense against top-ranked contender Keyshawn Davis.
That mandatory position has become a major obstacle to a Haney-Stevenson fight. If Haney proceeds with a non-title catchweight bout against Stevenson instead of facing Keyshawn, he would likely be stripped of the WBO belt.
Shakur has previously indicated that he is more interested in making the fight than preserving the championship stakes. His latest comments suggest he wants Haney to remove the WBO issue entirely by vacating the title and moving forward with negotiations.
The two sides have spent weeks discussing a potential fight, with much of the public debate centered on weight. Shakur initially signaled a willingness to meet Haney at a 144-pound catchweight before the talks became complicated by the WBO’s mandatory requirements.
The situation has placed Haney in a difficult position. A fight against Stevenson is viewed by many fans as the bigger event, but the WBO has made clear that Keyshawn is next in line for a title shot.
The negotiations remain unresolved, but Shakur’s latest post leaves little doubt about where he stands. If Haney wants the fight, Shakur believes the simplest solution is to vacate the belt and remove the mandatory challenger from the equation.