Devin Haney is back on the clock.
A call to action has been issued by the World Boxing Council, who has confirmed Shakur Stevenson as its mandatory challenger at lightweight. BoxingScene.com has confirmed that Haney has until end of business Friday to confirm whether he will stay put at 135 or next campaign at junior welterweight, where he would be installed as the mandatory challenger to next face WBC titlist Regis Prograis (29-1, 24KOs).
“Friday, July 21 is the deadline for Haney to secure whether he’s fighting Prograis or he’s going to stay in the lightweight division” Sulaiman confirmed Monday during an interview on Broadway Joel’s podcast, who was the first to report the development.
Haney’s team previously confirmed to Boxing Scene that Matchroom Boxing presented a preliminary offer for a potential fight versus Prograis. Matchroom signed Prograis earlier this year and previously enjoyed a co-promotional deal with Haney through the boxer’s Devin Haney Promotions banner.
Confirmation to move up in weight or no response at all to the matter will result in Haney being relieved of his WBC title, at which point Stevenson would be ordered to face the next highest ranked available contender. A decision by Haney to remain put at lightweight will prompt the WBC to order a Haney-Stevenson mandatory title fight.
Stevenson is open to either scenario but has openly challenged Haney and is eager for a pound-for-pound showdown between two of the sport’s rising young stars.
“Strap me up,” Stevenson tweeted overnight. “3 division world champ otw [on the way].”
Haney (30-0, 15KOs) was presented with a similar request by the World Boxing Organization, though more so to confirm his intentions to move up to junior welterweight. The unbeaten and undisputed lightweight champion let the 24-hour deadline pass without a response, after being denied a request for a one-day extension, as previously reported by BoxingScene.com.
Now it is the WBC who seeks answers as Stevenson (20-0, 10KOs) has already contacted the sanctioning body to enforce his mandatory status. The 2016 Olympic Silver medalist and former two-division titlist earned the position in a sixth-round knockout of unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino in their April 8 WBC lightweight title eliminator in his hometown of Newark, New Jersey.
The WBC then waited out Haney’s May 20 title defense versus former three-division titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Haney won via twelve round, unanimous decision for the second successful defense of the undisputed crown and seventh overall since he was upgraded to full WBC titlist in 2019.
Haney also holds the WBA ‘Super’, IBF and WBO titles.
The WBO has yet to rule on Haney’s next fight at lightweight following its prior inquiry regarding the junior welterweight title.
Argentina’s Gustavo Lemos (28-0, 18KOs) became the IBF mandatory after a fifth-round knockout of former IBF featherweight titlist Lee Selby last March 26 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He has not fought since then but is due for a rust-shaking return on August 18 before his team—headed by Georgina Rivero—will pursue a title shot.
Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27KOs) is the WBA ‘Regular’ lightweight title and represents by far the most lucrative option for any fighter in or around the 135-pound division. The unbeaten Baltimore-bred southpaw would be elevated to full champ if Haney moves up in weight, though he has been vocal about a title consolidation clash.
For now, Stevenson is next up to challenge for at least one of the four lightweight titles. It will be determined by week’s end whether it will come versus Haney or in a vacant title fight.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox