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Devin Haney hints that he wants to move up to a higher class, namely welterweight after winning super lightweight / Photo: Bleacher Report
Devin Haney indicated that he wanted to move up to a higher class, namely welterweight after winning the super lightweight class. Devin Haney revealed in his post-fight press conference Saturday night that he would consider competing at welterweight when he returns to the ring in 2024.
The newly crowned WBC super lightweight world champion did not name the welterweight boxer he would like to challenge. He added that an interesting potential fight could keep him in the 63.5kg division.
25-year-old Devin Haney, from Henderson, Nevada, made quite a statement after he dominated Regis Prograis in his super lightweight debut. The very comfortable and sharp Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Prograis (29-2, 24 KOs) with a right hand in the third round, was very effective in striking and defense against the strong southpaw, and edged Prograis in judge Rey’s favor Danseco, Mike Ross and Fernando Villarreal – all of whom scored the win 120-107.
“I want to talk to my dad and see what happens next,” Haney said in the post-fight press conference. “But, you know, I want to fight at 66.6 kilograms. But it’s a big fight at 63.5 kilograms. But I want to, you know, make the biggest fight, you know, the best fight to happen in the sport of boxing. That’s where I’m at right now. You know, I became undisputed in the 63.5 kg class, I mean 61.2 kg and, you know, I made history. You know, I’m in the history books forever. But now, you know, I want to create the biggest fight for, you know, the most money, honestly,” he explained.
Haney left the decision up to his father and trainer, Bill Haney, when asked to identify his welterweight opponent. “I don’t know,” Devin Haney said. “You know, I want to talk to my father. My father, you know, has seen the 63.5 kg landscape. So, you have to ask him.”
Bill Haney did not rule out that Terence Crawford or another welterweight boxer could be an opponent for his son. However, they both spoke more specifically about fights against Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis, contemporaries that Devin Haney could face in big fights in the 63.5 kg division.
“Devin is awesome, man,” Bill Haney said. “He’s really special. And never underestimate the players who are at (61.2), 63.5, 66.6. But when we talk about them, they’re good. But Devin is special, and I think he showed it tonight, his ability to knock out a fighter. Whatever a special fighter does, you won’t get a chance to see it against Devin, because that’s the kind of fighter he is. And as far as 66.6 kg, when you look at the legacy, and so many people when this is tarnishing the sport of boxing by saying that belts don’t matter, we want to continue to be a legacy, Devin is a legacy fighter (at) 66.6 kg.
“He went up from 61.2 kg and challenged the WBC champion at 63.5 and he has the ability to move up and become a three-division and undisputed world champion at 25 years old. And I think that’s a Hall of Fame statement. And that’s one the options are there. … He’s someone special. I can’t say enough about him.”
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