LAS VEGAS – Devin Haney has the flexibility as a promotional free agent to pursue the fight that could make him the most money.
Whether the undefeated, undisputed lightweight champion pursues a lucrative showdown with Gervonta Davis remains to be seen. Baltimore’s Davis is one of boxing’s biggest stars, was recently involved the sport’s most lucrative pay-per-view event in 4½ years and would afford Haney the opportunity to make more than the approximate $4 million guarantee he earned for his 12-round, unanimous-decision victory over Vasiliy Lomachenko on Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) would be the most accomplished opponent of Davis’ career, though, and would provide the chance for the powerful southpaw to become boxing’s fully unified lightweight champion. Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) has owned the WBA’s secondary lightweight title since December 2019, but Haney, George Kambosos Jr., Teofimo Lopez and Lomachenko have all been recognized as the WBA’s legitimate lightweight champion during that time.
The 24-year-old Haney believes his debut as a pay-per-view headliner against Lomachenko will only make a fight versus Davis bigger.
“Yeah, I mean, I know when the numbers come out, the numbers did very well,” Haney said during his post-fight press conference. “The gate did very well. I proved that I’m a draw in the sport of boxing. I proved that the people wanna see me. They come out, they support. And me and ‘Tank’ [Davis] is a massive fight, and it’s gonna happen sooner than later.”
An announced crowd of 14,436 attended the Haney-Lomachenko card. The event is believed to have generated more than $3 million in tickets sales.
Davis’ seventh-round knockout of rival Ryan Garcia produced approximately $22.8 million in tickets revenue April 22. The announced capacity crowd was 20,842 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Davis, 28, remains under home detention as part of his sentence May 5 for his role in a hit-and-run accident that took place in November 2020 in Baltimore (https://www.boxingscene.com/gervonta-davis-sentenced-90-days-home-detention-3-years-probation-car-accident–174372). He is expected to return to the ring at some point late in 2023.
Haney realizes a fight versus Davis would do big business, yet he also acknowledged that he has just about outgrown the lightweight division. His next fight could be contested at the junior welterweight limit of 140 pounds, which would make Haney less valuable as an opponent for Davis or Shakur Stevenson (20-0, 10 KOs).
“You know, if I can’t get those fights next or it doesn’t make sense for it to be next, I’ll probably go to 140, test it out, see how I feel at the weight, at 140,” Haney said. “And then, when the time is right, then I’ll defend my belts at 135. We’ll just see, though. I’ve gotta go back and talk with the team and see what makes the most sense. That’s really all it boils down to.”
Haney isn’t sure who will promote his next fight, either.
The Oakland native’s three-fight deal with Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc. and DiBella Entertainment concluded after the Lomachenko fight. Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing promoted each of Haney’s six bouts before he signed with Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment in March 2022.
Showtime, which has an exclusive content deal with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, televised three of Haney’s earlier fights as part of its prospect series, “ShoBox: The New Generation.” Haney has not worked with Haymon, who has long helped guide Davis’ career.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.