Devin Haney tells Turki Alalshikh the fight he wants next: “Let’s do it”

Kerr Ferguson

Devin Haney tells Turki Alalshikh the fight he wants next: “Let’s do it”
Image credit: Getty

Devin Haney has made his next target clear.

The 27-year-old is now a three-weight world champion, having most recently moved up to the welterweight division to defeat Brian Norman Jr and win the WBO belt.

Not only does 147lbs suit Haney’s frame, but it opens the door to a number of excellent match-ups, not least unifications against his fellow champions.

Saudi Arabia’s entrance into the sport, helmed by Turki Alalshikh, has brought with it cross-promotional deals that are seeing belts unified across divisions, with the opportunity to become undisputed more of a reality than it has been in the past.

While Haney was recently in talks with WBA champion Rolando Romero, he has said demands from the other side have led him to ‘move on.’ A rematch with new WBC champion Ryan Garcia appears back on the table – it was previously discussed for last year before Garcia suffered a shock defeat to ‘Roly.’

When they first faced off in 2023, Garcia produced an upset to beat Haney by majority decision on the night. When it was revealed he had failed a doping test, not only was the result overturned to a no contest, but he was suspended for one year.

Now back and holding a new belt after beating Mario Barrios handily, he has been goading Haney on social media. Haney says he wants the fight, and he has told Alalshikh as much, but wants strict drug testing in place from the outset.

Garcia, as the WBC champion, should be a part of the sanctioning body’s Clean Boxing Program – randomly drug testing, from blood and/or urine, at any time, 365 days per year.

Those tests are carried out by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency, but, despite the above, Haney has constantly criticised Garcia for failing to sign up to the organisation’s 365 testing.

Fans will hope the issue can be resolved to reignite one of the sport’s most bitter rivalries.

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