Tag: Javier Fortuna

Devin Haney reinstated as full lightweight titleholder

The WBC has reinstated Devin Haney as its lightweight champion four months after declaring him “champion in recess.”

The WBC has reinstated Devin Haney as its lightweight champion.

Haney, who became titleholder when Vasiliy Lomachenko was elevated to “franchise champion” in October, shut out Alfredo Santiago in his first title defense the following month but he injured his shoulder in the process. The injury required surgery that precluded him from defending against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

Thus, the sanctioning body declared Haney “champion in recess.” The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title. However, that fight never gained traction because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion. And it finally did. Haney reportedly also was given the right to make a voluntary defense.

Fortuna and Campbell are now expected to fight for the “interim” title, with the winner in line to face Haney for the full title if Haney wins his tune-up.

Devin Haney: ‘I have learned a valuable lesson’

Devin Haney said he has ‘learned a valuable lesson’ as a result of his ‘white boy’ comment and the subsequent reaction.

Devin Haney, it appears, has grown as a person.

The unbeaten lightweight created a firestorm when he was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko and gave a response that he now regrets:

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” said Haney, who is black. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me. I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

A few days later he responded to criticism by saying “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist.” On Tuesday he took another, more humble step.

“Over the last couple days I’ve had time to reflect on a lot,” Haney said in a public statement. “I sincerely regret using a term that I have now learned to be derogatory to many of my fans, friends and associates.”

He went on: “I have learned a valuable lesson and I will continue to show the kind of person that I really am and will continue my quest for greatness inside and outside the ring.”

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

 

Devin Haney responds to criticism: ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist’

Devin Haney responded to criticism of his ‘white boy’ comment by Tweeting, ‘I’m not racist and I never will be a racist.’

Devin Haney has taken criticism over his “white boy” comments seriously.

The unbeaten was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing Ukrainian star Vasiliy Lomachenko, the fighter many believe is the No. 1 fighter in the world pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, was criticized on social media for injecting race into the otherwise typical trash-talk conversations.

The 21-year-old responded with two Tweets.

He wrote in the first: “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist. I’m chasing greatness.

And in the second: “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.” Sulaiman “liked” the second Tweet.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

Devin Haney: ‘I will never lose to a white boy in my life’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level when he said ‘I’ll never lose to a white boy in my life.’

Devin Haney took trash talk with Vasiliy Lomachenko to the next level.

Haney, the unbeaten lightweight, was asked during a YouTube Live session about the prospect of facing the fighter many believe is No. 1 pound-for-pound.

“I can tell you this: I will never lose to a white boy in my life,” Haney said. “I don’t care what nobody got to say. Listen, can’t no white boy beat me, I don’t care, on any day of the week. I fight a white boy like 10 times, I’m gonna beat him 10 times.”

Haney, who is black, and Lomachenko, who is white, have also exchanged barbs on Instagram but their rivalry probably will be limited to words until some things are sorted out.

Lomachenko was scheduled to fight fellow titleholder Teofimo Lopez on May 30 but that fight was postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus.

Haney won the WBC 135-pound title by shutting out Alfredo Santiago in October but was declared “champion in recess” when he had to have shoulder surgery and couldn’t defend against No. 1 challenger Javier Fortuna.

The WBC then ordered Fortuna and Luke Campbell to fight for the vacant title but that fight never happened because of the pandemic. Meanwhile, Haney petitioned the WBC to reinstate him as champion.

Lomachenko is is the WBC’s “franchise champion.”

 

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.

Regis Prograis to fight Maurice Hooker on April 17: report

Former junior welterweight titleholders Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker will meet on April 17 in Oxon Hill, Maryland on DAZN.

The rebuilding process for Regis Prograis and Maurice Hooker reportedly will begin against one another.

The former junior welterweight titleholders, who lost their belts and the zeroes in their loss columns last year, will meet on April 17 at MGM National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland, on DAZN, according to BoxingScene.com.

Also on the card, Luke Campbell will face Javier Fortuna for a vacant lightweight title.

Prograis (24-1, 20 KOs) lost a close majority decision and his title to Josh Taylor on Oct. 26 in London. The New Orleans native was knocking on the door of pound-for-pound recognition going into that fight.

Hooker (27-1-3, 18 KOs) was less effective against Jose Ramirez on July 27 in Arlington, Texas, losing his title by a sixth-round TKO. The Dallas product rebounded with a first-round knockout of Uriel Perez in December.

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is coming off a one-sided decision loss to lightweight titleholder and pound-for-pound king Vassiliy Lomachenko on Aug. 31 in London. He is from Hull, in northern England.

Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs) has beaten Sharif Bogere (UD 10) and Jesus Cuellar (TKO 2) since he lost a split decision to then-lightweight titleholder Robert Easter in January 2018. Forunta is Dominican.

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.”