Bill Haney says Devin will take a full year off to rest his body and work on blocking the left Hook before he returns to the ring in 2025. Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) has been out of the ring for seven months since his loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20th and seems shaken by that defeat.
Year-Long Timeout
Former two-division world champion Haney’s decision to take an entire year off means he will wait until Kingry’s year-long suspension expires in April 2025 before he fights again. Devin’s decision to sit and stew on his loss for an entire year, until Ryan is available, is not exactly brave, but there’s just too much money at stake for him to put it at risk.
However, this is an expected move because it’s too risky for Haney to fight someone and potentially lose. Getting beaten would wreck the potential big cash rematch for Devin against Garcia. So, it’s smart for Haney to sit and wait for Ryan because whoever he faces would be swinging for the fences, looking to take advantage of Dev’s vulnerable chin.
If Haney were one of the Gilded Age robber barons like JP Morgan, John D. Rockefeller, or Cornelius Vanderbilt, he would NOT sit for a year without staying as busy as possible, taking advantage of his popularity to make millions fighting the top guys. Haney isn’t ruthless like the super-rich robber barons and is missing the courage and ambition to get every last penny he can by being as busy as possible.
Playing It Safe?
“All the fights are options. I believe in Devin, and I believe in his skills. I also believe in doing things right. I believe in trailblazing being compensated for the position he’s in, and having the right deal structure. It’s more about the deal structure than anything else,” said Bill Haney to Tru Media, talking about his son, Devin Haney.
“One thing we can do is let him rest his body. He’s a young guy. He’s been traveling, he’s been fighting, and he’s been doing. There was a lot that went into the [Ryan Garcia] fight,” said Bill about Haney.
“He’s the one that said he’s going to take off a year, and I back his plan 100%. If he had said that he wants to get back in four month’s time, I would have backed that too. He said he wants to take a year off. He didn’t say he’s retiring. In that year, we have a chance of seeing everybody else.
“We can be a fan. We can follow the sport. One thing I said was they still want to see us. I appreciate you for wanting to see us and following me, bro,” said Bill Haney.
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