Eddie Hearn, Matchroom promoter, says he’d like Devin Haney to face IBF light welterweight champion Liam Paro next in his homecoming in Australia in October.
Overlooking the IBF Rehydration Limit
Hearn states that if Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) chooses to vacate his WBC 140-lb title rather than defend it against his mandatory Sandor Martin, he’d like for him to challenge Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) for his IBF belt next.
Haney would no longer be a champion, but he’d get a world title shot immediately and have a chance of picking up another belt.
Hearn is overlooking the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration limit, which would make it physically impossible for Haney to face Liam Paro.
Perhaps the main reason why Haney will turn up his nose at Hearn’s offer is that Paro isn’t a big name, and it won’t make him a lot of money. Moreover, Haney would be fighting Paro in his home in Australia, and it would be a difficult fight for him.
Haney losing to the little-known Paro would be far worse than if he took a loss to a popular fighter like Teofimo Lopez, Isaac Cruz or Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.
With Haney rehydrating to the mid-160s for his fight at 140, it would be impossible to keep his weight down to 150 or lower for the IBF’s weight check on the day of the fight. Unless the IBF wants to waive their 10-lb rehydration rule, Haney likely won’t be able to take the fight against Paro.
Hearn’s Business Decisions
“I feel the bid that I would have made wouldn’t have won the purse bid, and it would have been way off,” said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about the purse bid for the Devin Haney vs. Sandor Martin fight. “I wouldn’t have bid $2.5 million for the fight. Maybe about two [million].”
Hearn wasn’t willing to pay a ton of dough that Haney would have expected for a fight that the general public would have had no interest in seeing.
Haney’s loss to Ryan Garcia has hurt his popularity. After that defeat, Haney should have been stripped of his WBC light welterweight title. He looks like an illegitimate champion after that defeat, which reflects badly on the World Boxing Council for allowing him to keep his title.
“I don’t think it’s a bad fight for Liam Paro, and I will continue those conversations to fight Liam Paro in Australia,” said Hearn. “Right now, we’re planning a big homecoming for Liam Paro in Australia and I would like it to be Devin Haney. But can it be for a unification? Probably not. Will he vacate that [WBC] and fight for the IBF?”
Haney can’t take that fight with Paro, and he would be crazy to even try. Everything about that clash has nightmares written all over it for Haney or any top fighter unless they know how to fight while being clinched. Paro likes to hold a lot and use roughouse tactics.
“We have options for Devin Haney, but unfortunately, Devin Haney vs. Sandor Martin was not really a fight that I and DAZN were overly interested in,” said Hearn. “I’ll look out for Devin, but if you don’t put your loyalty with someone, don’t expect that loyalty back.”
Hearn doesn’t have anyone else in his Matchroom stable that he can offer Haney unless he wants to move up to 147 to challenge Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis for his IBF title. Haney isn’t about to fight Boots because the end result would be a disaster for him.
“If you want to pander about and be with me when it suits you, that’s cool,” said Hearn. “But I’ll be with you when it suits me, and it didn’t suit me on this occasion. Just like it didn’t suit him to sign a long-term deal before he fought Regis Prograis.”
In hindsight, Haney should have signed a long-term deal with Hearn, and maybe he would have helped him. If Haney had done that, Hearn would be stuck with him, and he would have a fighter who is going nowhere. Haney would be in the same boat as other recently beaten Hearn fighters, Subriel Matias and Regis Prograis.
“This was good for my business [not bidding on Sandor Martin fight], and that was the decision we made,” said Hearn.
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