Bill Haney says Devin is working towards his return and is standing on business with regards to Ryan Garcia lawsuit.
Devin Haney’s father and trainer, Bill Haney, appeared for a live streaming conversation with Fight Hub TV and fielded a number of questions regarding Devin’s plans for his next fight, the ongoing saga with Ryan Garcia, and more. Check out some excerpts of what Haney had to say with the full live stream video at the top.
Bill Haney on the upcoming return plans for Devin
“I’m looking forward to Devin getting back in the ring. Of course it’s probably been the longest layoff we’ve had right now and, you know, we’re anxious. We’re anxious to get back in there. He’s been hit in the past, he’s been doing a lot of running, we’re going to start sparring this week and you can expect an announcement soon.”
On Devin’s mentality following a hard 2024
“He’s doing good. Everything that happens — of course at the end of the fight he said ‘God is the perfect planner’ and truly is. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, he’s been blessed to be the youngest undisputed champion in boxing and also be a promoter.”
On changes they’ve made to their team
“Well we brought in Nate Jones. I think that everyone has seen that on social media. Nate Jones a legendary trainer and part of the Floyd Mayweather team. He’s spent a lot of time with Devin as a young fighter. So we just think that he was a great addition.
“We just wanted to tighten up on our defense. We want to be more defensive conscious. I think Devin was answering and into pleasing the fans with the last fight and with the last style that he showed. He showed tremendous heart, he stepped to Ryan Garcia who is a puncher — a fast, quick puncher — and he got hit with a left hook numerous times.
“I think we’ve shown what we’re working on and to eliminate any of those holes or chinks in the armor and just move forward.”
On wanting to be better prepared for Garcia’s left hook in a prospective rematch
“We factored it in (the first time) but you cannot factor in the ostarine. You couldn’t factor in how strong he would be and how fast he would recover. That’s just something that we didn’t factor in. I thought that it would be mano a mano, man against man on even playing field, but it wasn’t and now we have to move on.”
On Garcia’s contention that the ostarine in his system was due to him trying to make weight
“Ostarine is a banned substance, it is a PED. And whatever reason he used it, we know ostarine helps with speed, it helps with recovery, and even more detrimental to an opponent is that it helps with power. And he has power so to enhance the power and to use ostarine, he definitely had an advantage.”
On Devin’s ongoing lawsuit against Garcia
“Make no mistake about it. It sets a precedent not just for Devin and the fighters of today, but it’ll set a precedent for fighters of tomorrow, the champions that are clean, the fighters that are clean, that there will be ramifications and consequences behind anyone that’s using PEDs in any form…there’s no place for drugs in boxing and we’re standing on that.”
On Devin reportedly turning down a Top Rank offer to fight Teofimo Lopez
“We know how vindictive promoters can be and how they can lie. Bob Arum was not 100% truthful in the sense of Turki Alalshikh put a fight on the table for Devin and Teofimo Lopez and Riyadh Season. I think the fight that Turki put on the table was an opportunity where there wouldn’t be any flak towards either team, it was a fair opportunity for us to come to the table. We don’t work for Bob, we’re not handcuffed to Bob — Teofimo Lopez is.
“So to say that you put something on the table for us when you haven’t sold a PPV, you haven’t sold out an arena, and then to say that you put something on the table where you would be the A-side and we would be the B-side was an insult. And I believe that they knew it was an insult as to why he came out and he said it. But he left out the fact that they turned down a deal when Turki Alalshikh put it on the table.
“The Turki Alalshikh (offer) came first. I was talking to and negotiating with Top Rank’s attorney, (Turki) was extremely disappointed in the fact that it didn’t work and didn’t come through…Then all of the sudden, later on, as I would believe a publicity stunt, that (Top Rank) came with this BS as if Teofimo Lopez and as if Top Rank had some rank in this.
“I don’t mind looking at them eye level and saying ‘let’s cut the best deal’ but when you say that we’re obligated or what we need to do, and we need to take something that’s not a straight play — it didn’t make sense.”
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