Devin Haney was humbled at the weekend when he was trumped by a seemingly vulnerable Ryan Garcia in what is sure to be considered as one of the upsets of the year.
Despite the defeat, Haney has retained his WBC super-lightweight title, as a result of Garcia missing weight before their showdown, but still the next step for ‘The Dream’ is unclear.
Consequently, we at Boxing Social have highlighted five potential opponents that could help the 140lb champion get his career back on track.
1. Sandor Martin
The obvious choice for Haney is his mandatory defence against Sandor Martin (42-3), who is the number one ranked super-lightweight contender with the WBC.
Haney’s fight with the Spaniard was seemingly a done deal for this summer, providing that he got the job done against Garcia – which of course he didn’t – leaving Martin in the dark as to whether he will get his shot at the young American.
Should Haney opt to remain at 140lbs and decide to not vacate his title, Martin would be almost unavoidable. Although, the Barcelona-born southpaw may not be the safe option that many portray him as.
He arguably beat Teofimo Lopez in a split-decision defeat back in December 2022, and has recorded back-to-back knockout wins for the first time in his 45-bout career in the two fights since.
2. Teofimo Lopez
Devin Haney was very much perceived to be the ‘top dog’ at super-lightweight pre-Garcia, with Teofimo Lopez (20-1) the only other contender for being the ‘poster boy’ of the division.
The WBO title-holder dethroned the undisputed, lineal and long-reigning champion Josh Taylor back in 2022 but looked unconvincing in his first defence back in February, where he controversially defeated Jamaine Ortiz.
A battle between Haney and Lopez would silence doubters of either man and prove who the king of the division really is and with ‘The Takeover’ looking for a fight this summer it could be the perfect opportunity for either man to ‘bounce back’ from their poor most recent respective outings.
However, difficulties with Haney making the weight and avoiding Sandor Martin – who is understandably reluctant to step aside – mean that Haney-Lopez may have to wait until later in the year or take place at a different weight in the future.
3. Ryan Garcia
Many fans are claiming that Garcia’s (25-1) victory was as much down to his weight as his skill, hitting the scales over three pounds above the 140lb limit and being permitted to rehydrate at his own will before entering the ring at an abnormal size for a super-lightweight contest.
During the aftermath, Garcia has claimed that his short-loved days in the division are over and revealed intentions of moving up to welterweight, a move that Haney has also been linked with in the past due to his own difficulties when cutting.
As a result, a rematch up at 147lbs would give Garcia the chance to remove the asterisk from his win and give Haney the possibility of avenging the lone defeat of his career.
Haney has openly admitted his demands for a second encounter with his former amateur rival at a ‘fair’ weight, although Garcia seems content with the win and appears to be seeking other fighters in the welterweight division.
4. Conor Benn
If Devin Haney is truly intending on jumping up to welterweight, Conor Benn (23-0) is a challenger who could make perfect sense for his debut.
Benn has called Haney out following disappointing performances against Rodolfo Orozco and Peter Dobson and represents a big name in the division who – based off of those performances – Haney would be expected to be able to defeat.
Benn’s name and reputation would ultimately make for another high-profile pay-per-view event for Haney and would be one where he would be likely to come out on top.
5. Mario Barrios/Fabian Maidana Winner
Terence Crawford’s recently-announced move to super-welterweight means each of his three titles at 147lbs are likely to become vacant in the near future, leaving current contenders jostling for position.
Haney’s position as champion with the WBC means that he would possibly be able to become mandatory challenger for either the full WBC title or for the WBC interim belt.
Mario Barrios (28-2) currently holds that title but he takes on Fabian Andres Maidana (22-2) on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Jaime Munguia undercard.
Haney could well move up and face the winner, where victory would see him well poised to be upgraded to full WBC welterweight champion or at the very least guarantee himself the chance to fight for the vacant belt.
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