By Robert Addams: Interim WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney’s opponent for November 9 will be announced next week, according to Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. Haney (23-0, 14 KOs) is fighting on the undercard of KSI vs. Logan Paul on DAZN at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Hearn says he attempted to get Hector ‘El Finito’ Tanajara (18-0, 5 KOs) as Haney’s opponent, but they turned down the fight. It would have been a tough match-up for the 22-year-old Tanajara, as he’s not a big puncher and he’s not ready for someone like Haney. For Tanajara to have any real chance against Haney, he would need to have some power behind his shots. With his 27.78%, Tanajara would have been in way over his head against a boxer/puncher like the 20-year-old Haney.
Haney’s opponent to be announced next week
“His next fight will be announced next week,” said Hearn to Thaboxingvoice about Devin Haney’s next fight. “We offered them [Hector Tanajara] the fight, but they turned the fight down. So it won’t be Tanajara. That would have been a good fight. It might be a good one for the future,” said Hearn.
With Tanajara off of the running for Haney’s next fight, Hearn isn’t giving any clues who the opponent will be. Given that Hearn was looking to match Haney against a prospect in Tanajara, it strongly suggests that he won’t be put in with a talented lightweight contender. Further, there’s very little time for an opponent to be found for Haney.
Haney not likely to get high caliber opponent
The top contenders at lightweight likely won’t want to face Haney while he’s still just the interim World Boxing Council champion. For Haney to get the top names to bite, he needs to win the WBC title outright. That’s not going to happen until the current champion Vasiliy Lomachenko vacates the belt.
These are some of the contenders in the WBC’s rankings at lightweight:
- Gervonta Davis
- Luke Campbell
- Javier Fortuna
- Yvan Mendy
- Francisco Patera
- Rances Barthelemy
- Jorge Linares
- Ryan Garcia
- Masayoshi Nakatani
- Jaider Parra
- Marcos Villasana Jr.
- Edis Tatli
- Lee Selby
Haney has expressed interest in facing Luke Campbell, but that’s a fight that won’t take place on short notice. Hearn will want to build it up before he makes that match.
WBA/WBC/WBO lightweight champion Lomachenko is fighting the winner of the Richard Commey vs. Teofimo Lopez fight in early 2020 for the undisputed 135-lb championship. Lomachenko is then planning on vacating all four lightweight titles, and moving down to super featherweight. Haney will then face the highest rated WBC contender for the vacant title or he’ll be elevated to full WBC champion.
There’s a good chance that Haney won’t even need to fight anyone for the WBC belt, given that he’s already the interim WBC champ. An ideal opponent for Haney would be #3 WBC Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, but Mayweather Promotions probably won’t want to risk putting their young star with a talented fighter like Devin so soon after his move up to lightweight.
