By Chris Williams: WBC ‘Champion in Recess’ lightweight belt holder Devin Haney took to social media on Saturday to make it clear that he’s NOT a racist.
It was important for Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) to come out and make a statement on the issue after an interview he made recently in which he said he would never lose to a whiteboy.
Haney, 21, made a short comment on Twitter on Saturday to deny that he’s a racist, and to let them know that he’s “chasing greatness” with his boxing career.
Devin Haney wants to be a role model
Haney added that he spoke with WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman to let him know that he wants to be a role model, and he rejects discrimination.
It’s a good move for Haney to clear the air with the fans, and to speak with Sulaiman on the subject. It might be a good idea for Haney now to focus more on his training rather than putting energy into social media. Some fighters are good at it.
I’m not racist and I never will be a racist. I’m chasing greatness.#Undefeated pic.twitter.com/i6VPG61Gdo
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) April 18, 2020
I just had a very positive conversation with Mauricio Sulaiman, President of the WBC and confirmed to him directly my commitment to be a role model and my absolute rejection of discrimination of any kind!
— Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) April 18, 2020
For Haney, he still needs to achieve with his career before he starts giving all these interviews because he hasn’t proven anything yet. What he should be doing it fighting the best possible opponents, and stop wasting putting so much energy on giving interviews and posting on social media.
If Haney is the real deal, he’ll get the fights he wants against the top guys at 135. What’s obvious is Haney isn’t going to be able to trash talk his way into fights against guys like Vasiliy Lomachenko, Ryan Garcia, Tank Davis, or Teofimo Lopez. Some of those fights may happen in the future
Gary Russell Jr. reacts to Haney’s comments
“I think he’s young, and I think he’ 21-years-old and doesn’t understand the statement that he made,” said Gary Russell Jr. to AB Boxing News. “He’s young, he still has a lot more growing to do, and people need to take that into consideration. And he’s flashy and flamboyant, and he says things out of his mouth.
‘He’s still got more growing to do. But with that said, we can make it happen. He doesn’t need to do all that extra talking. Let’s wait for the lights to come back on, and we can make something happen,” said Russell Jr on Haney.
Russell Jr. is correct about Haney being young, and he needs to grow up. If Haney wants to take his career to the next level, he needs to fight Russell and try and beat him. If Haney defeats Russell, a lot of fans will forget about his recent comments
Lomachenko got a gift – Russell Jr.
“If I were smart as I am now when I fought Lomachenko, I wouldn’t have cut the weight,” said Russell Jr. about his 2014 fight with Loma. “I wouldn’t have cut that weight in the sauna and all that. I would have let them fine me, and I would have beat that a**, but I just wouldn’t have gotten the title. It would like [Orlando] Salido did [against Lomachenko], but I wasn’t educated enough to think to do that.
“Vasily Lomachenko, he knows he got a gift. He don’t have the hand speed, boxing ability of IQ that I got. Overall, he got a gift over the dehydrated version, the lowest denominator version of Gary Russell Jr. It was a split decision fight. There was a knockdown in the fight that wasn’t even called. I plan on moving up to 135, and he’s at 135. I definitely would like that fight again.
“Devin Haney is at 135. He’s got the title, and people are acting like they don’t want to fight Devin Haney. I’ll fight Devin Haney. What’s up?
“I been saying I’ll fight Tank [Davis]. I’m moving up to 135. What’s up, Tank?” said Russell Jr.
It was a mistake for Russell Jr. t take off all that weight to make weight. He should have followed in Orlando Salido’s footsteps in coming in overweight and then paying the fine. Russell Jr. would have been a lot stronger if he didn’t struggle to make weight for the fight.
When Russell Jr. moves up to lightweight, he needs to go after the belt holders like Haney and Tank Davis. I think Lomachenko won’t ever fight Russell Jr. again.
Russell: Lomachenko doesn’t deserve to be pound-for-pound
“I don’t think Lomachenko should be pound-for-pound,” said Russell Jr. “It don’t matter if he [Teofimo Lopez] beats Lomachenko or not. He shouldn’t be pound-for-pound either. Lomachenko shouldn’t be pound-for-pound.
“I’m interested in seeing the Lomachenko vs. Teofimo fight. I don’t even care who wins. I want Lomachenko. And I feel like it was a fluke [losing to Lomachenko]. You’ve got to do it again to prove it to me.
“Make me a believer because I don’t believe that s***. Come get it. I always wanted to fight Mikey [Garcia] too. I would have beat Mikey’s a**. That would have been a hell of a fight. Mikey got good pop. I think he got too flat-footed,” said Russell Jr.
Lomachenko hasn’t beaten anyone super talented for him to be a pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Other than a weight-drained Russell Jr, Lomachenko hasn’t beaten anyone. Russell was getting the better of Lomachenko despite being weight drained.
Lomachenko had to adjust for him to beat Russell in the second half of the contest because he was getting dominated in the first half of the fight.