Shakur Stevenson is open to facing Devin Haney under one condition, believing they could sell out a “big arena” and deliver a “tremendous fight”.
The 28-year-old comes off a career-best victory over Teofimo Lopez, who he dethroned with a wide points victory to claim the WBO world super-lightweight title in January.
In doing so, Stevenson became a four-division world champion and immediately called out Conor Benn, who unanimously outpointed Regis Prograis at 150lbs last Saturday.
The American has also expressed an interest in facing Ryan Garcia, but only if the WBC world welterweight champion agrees to meet him at a catchweight of 144lbs.
Garcia, however, appears to have rejected this as a genuine possibility, while Stevenson has said he is in no rush to move up to welterweight at this stage in his campaign.
This is why he has suggested the exact same catchweight for a potential clash with Haney, who comes off a unanimous decision victory over Brian Norman Jr.
‘The Dream’ moved up to welterweight and claimed Norman’s WBO world title in November, which followed his lacklustre performance against Jose Ramirez.
But still, Haney convincingly outpointed the faded former world champion at a catchweight of 144lbs, hence why Stevenson is keen to explore their possible showdown.
Speaking with Ariel Helwani, the pound-for-pound star highlighted this catchweight as a non-negotiable, otherwise he will likely remain at 140lbs or move back down to lightweight.
“Haney fought at a catchweight against Jose Ramirez two fights ago, and it was 144lbs, so I would love to [fight Haney] at 144lbs – we can meet in the middle.
“I don’t think a belt has to be on the line; I think the fight is big enough for both of us to be fighting at a catchweight.
“I think we can both sell out a big arena, and it would be a tremendous fight.”
While Haney has previously campaigned at 135lbs, the three-weight world champion would likely struggle to make 144lbs at this stage of his career, and has even toyed with another move up to 154.
