Bill Haney Assesses Team Ryan Garcia Ahead of Title Clash
On December 9, 2023, former undisputed lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (31-0, 15 KO’s) utterly dismantled the very tough and avoided Regis Prograis. With the shutout unanimous decision win, Haney collected Prograis’ WBC 140-pound title. Now, in his first title defense, WBC junior welterweight champion Devin Haney will face the challenge of “King Ry” Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KO’s) on April 20. Yet, The Dream’s father and trainer, Bill Haney, insists that he is wise to a team including Garcia, his trainer Derrick James and even polarizing boxing figure Floyd Mayweather Jr. that are all colluding to defeat the champ!
Yet, as he explained to ThaBoxingVoice, he is not worried in the least.
“Now we got 4/20 and we’re going against a heck of a crowd. We’re going against a hell of a team in the Garcia team! With Derrick James being a Trainer of the Year, that team with his dad, Henry Garcia, ‘Lupe [Guadalupe Valencia] the attorney and Floyd Mayweather [Jr.] who is spending time talking to and training him on the low. But I want them to always know is that we see everything and we’re prepared. Fight night, it’s going to be Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia in the ring together and it’s going to be fireworks!”
YOU CAN BUILD IT BUT…
Obviously James, King Ry’s father, Henry Garcia, and his lawyer, Valencia, will aid their charge in any way they can. It is also very believable that the notorious Money Mayweather is offering his tutelage to Garcia in camp. King Ry has already admitted that he made a fool of himself by calling out Haney, accepting a fight, then backing out to challenge and be denied by WBA 140-pound champion Rolando Romero all based on advice supplied by Mayweather.
Yet, it should be said that this is also a very odd and legally sticky situation. This is because King Ry is actually promoted by public rivals Golden Boy Promotions. In fact, GBP co-founder Oscar De La Hoya has already made his displeasure with the conflict of interest very well known. So let’s watch over these next two months to see what media flare-ups present themselves and what fruit Garcia’s dream team can bear on fight night!
