Stevenson and Haney Split After 145-Pound Catchweight Talks Collapse

Shakur Stevenson is moving on from negotiations with Devin Haney over a targeted November 28 bout in Atlanta, an individual familiar with the talks said on Friday. The sides split late Thursday night after appearing in agreement on a 145lbs catchweight bout with no rehydration clause.

One official monitoring the talks said Haney will move on to a welterweight unification bout against IBF champion Liam Paro at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Haney said: “You’re cap [lying]. I agreed to 145. [You] went missing for days. Tried to put a rehydration clause on me. I wasted six months negotiating with you … since I was gonna sign with Zuffa. Y’all did everything for this fight not to happen.”

Bill Haney said Stevenson was in hiding after the two sides agreed to a 145lbs catchweight limit with no limit on Haney’s fight-day rehydration weight. An official close to the negotiation said the Haney side tried to “change the terms … they pulled out.” Stevenson said of Haney’s negotiation stance: “had his lawyer email and say that he would only fight at 147. Big waste of everybody’s time.”

Stevenson, 25-0 (11 KOs), defeated three-division champion Teofimo Lopez on January 31 and then signed with the new Dana White and Nick Khan-headed Zuffa Boxing. Devin Haney, 33-0 (15 KOs), has not fought since taking the belt on November 22 against Brian Norman Jnr but has a hold on State Farm Arena on November 28.

Stevenson is left looking for a fight after previously failing to strike a deal with WBA champion Gary Antuanne Russell.

Unbeaten recent IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla, the WBO’s No. 1 140lbs contender, is identified as another ideal option for Stevenson.

Officials said fighters including Brian Norman Jnr and top-15 ranked Tiger Johnson are penciled in on separate support bouts for the November 28 event at State Farm Arena.

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