Purse bids for WBC light welterweight champion Devin Haney’s next fight against mandatory Sandor Martin are scheduled for June 18th.
Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) must decide whether to vacate, take the fight, or give the Spaniard Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KOs) a step-side because his mandatory is due for the title he captured last December. However, Martin, 30, isn’t expected to agree to a step-side, but if they pay him enough, he might agree.
Assuming the fight happens, it’ll be interesting to see if Haney is announced as still unbeaten. It would look bad if Haney masqueraded as an unbeaten fighter when the entire world saw what happened to him in his embarrassing loss last April.
His management wants to erase his loss to Ryan Garcia due to his positive PED test. Unfortunately, having the L taken off Haney’s record would be an unpopular move, making him look like a manufactured fighter.
If Haney’s chin has been compromised by the beating he took in his recent loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20th, he’s not going to make it through his fight with Sandor Martin without getting knocked out. It could be career over at that point for Haney, putting him in a bleak situation from which he can never come back.
Bill Haney Tight-Lipped
Devin’s father, Bill Haney, failed to mention Martin’s name when asked on Saturday who his son would fight next. This makes some believe Haney won’t be fighting Martin next. It’s believed that Bill wants no part of his son fighting Sandor Martin, knowing that he’s all wrong for him and ruining his hard work in building him.
It’s a risky fight for Haney because if he loses to Martin, his career will be in the dumps, and he may not be able to return from this. Haney is too big to return to the lightweight division.
Fighting the other champions at 140 is not a good move for Haney, as his punch resistance would make him vulnerable against talented belt-holders:
– Subriel Matias
– Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz
– Teofimo Lopez
Welterweight: A Potential Escape Route?
If Haney chooses to move up to welterweight, he’ll need to do it soon to face WBC champion Mario Barrios before he loses his belt to Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis or Brian Norman Jr.
Now is the time for Haney to move up before Boots or Norman Jr dethrones Barrios because those guys will make easy work of the WBC champion. Haney will not want to tangle with Boots or Norman for the WBC.
Capturing the WBC 147-lb title would be a useful pawn for Haney to entice Ryan Garcia for when he can return to the ring. He’s too big to fight at 140 or a catchweight, so 147 is the only way a rematch between Haney and Ryan can happen.
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