Tag: Alfredo Santiago

Devin Haney reinstated as lightweight titleholder by WBC

Devin Haney has been reinstated as lightweight titleholder by the WBC, according to a report.

Devin Haney reportedly has been reinstated as lightweight titleholder.

The WBC designated the unbeaten 21-year-old “champion in recess” in December when he couldn’t defend his belt against mandatory challenger Javier Fortuna, who was scheduled to fight Luke Campbell for the vacant title.

Haney appealed and the WBC reinstated him, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman confirmed to BoxingScene.com on Tuesday. Obviously, the break in the action because of the coronavirus pandemic worked in Haney’s favor.

Negotiations with Fortuna broke off when Haney had shoulder surgery, which he said would keep him out of the ring for six months.

As “champion in recess,” Haney would’ve retained the right to fight for his belt when he was physically able to do so.

Fortuna and Campbell were scheduled to fight for the title on April 17 in Oxon Hill, Maryland but all combat sports events have been banned since COVID-19 took hold.

“I feel like they should reinstate me,” Haney told BoxingScene.com before filing his appeal. “I was stripped because they felt I wouldn’t be active to fight my mandatory. But the two [top contenders] never fought.

“So what sense does that make? If I’m ready to fight the mandatories … let’s make this happen.”

Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) won the interim WBC 135-pound title when he stopped Zaur Abdullaev in four rounds last September and was upgraded to full titleholder when Vasiliy Lomachenko was designated “franchise champion.”

Haney successfully defended by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in November.

Devin Haney ordered to defend title against Javier Fortuna

Devin Haney, who has called out Vasiliy Lomachenko, has been ordered to make a mandatory defense of his title against Javier Fortuna.

Devin Haney’s controversial lightweight title is generating a lot of debate and forcing him to take care of some mandatory business before he can really challenge Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Haney, who talked about Lomachenko before his so-so performance in a decision over Alfredo Santiago on Saturday, has been ordered to make a mandatory defense of his title against Javier Fortuna.

The 20-year-old Haney (24-0, 15 knockouts), boxing’s youngest champion, was given the WBC 135-pound belt when the sanctioning body named Lomachenko its “franchise champion” last month. As an interim champion, Haney had been in line for a possible bout with Lomachenko, the leading pound-for-pound contender.

Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs), a Dominican living in Massachusetts, is a former champion who became a mandatory challenger with a second-round stoppage of Jesus Cuellar on Nov. 2 at Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Devin Haney,who beat Alfredo Santiago on Saturday, has called out Vasiliy Lomachenko but might have to settle for Javier Fortuna for now. Ed Mulholland / Matchroom Boxing USA

If an agreement can’t be reached, a purse bid for Haney-Fortuna is scheduled for Dec. 13.

Before his victory over Santiago in a sloppy fight in Los Angeles, Haney talked about Lomachenko.

“I do see flaws in him,’’ Haney told Sky Sports. “One deciding factor – my jab. I feel like I’ve got the best jab in the game and my jab separates me from everyone. Being honest, I haven’t played the fight out in my head because the fight hasn’t been set in stone. It doesn’t look like it’s going to be made next.”