Shakur Stevenson Believes Devin Haney Contract Was Real!
Since two-division champion “Fearless” Shakur Stevenson (20-0, 10 KO’s) moved to the lightweight division, he’s had his eye on undisputed champion Devin “The Dream” Haney (30-0, 15 KO’s). Yet, rather than go back-and-forth talking tough on social media, Team Haney sent Stevenson a contract. In response, Fearless bulked at the paperwork, insisting it too greatly undervalued him. The New Jersey native felt this so much so, as he explained to Fight Hype, that he didn’t think it was a legitimate offer.
“I don’t think it was like a real offer, I think that was something that they tried to throw out there to make themselves look good. Even if I was like, ‘yeah, let’s do that,’ I don’t think they would have been with that.
“I don’t think they want to fight me, I don’t think they have no real interest in fighting me right now. They know how dangerous I am and being that he is having a hard time making weight. I don’t think he really wants to get in the ring with me.
“[…] Like I said, the weight has been a lot of trouble for him to make, so he knows he would not be 100% if he got in the ring with me right now. That’s what he would probably try to use or say. I don’t think he is scared, I ain’t going to say Dev is scared, I really don’t think he is scared. I think, like I said, that the weight is hard for him to make and he knows that I am the truth.
“Being that he knows I am the truth, why would you get in the ring with the truth if you are not 100%? I think he would fight me if he was 100% and could do it, but as for right now I don’t think he really wants to do that.”
Shakur Stevenson – Two-Division Champion
NOW OR LATER?!
There is a real practice of low-balling someone to feint like a fight is being sought when in reality it is not. By the same token, someone can price themselves out of a fight just as easily. When Haney was looking to become undisputed he accepted a notoriously one-sided deal with Kambosos. Not only did he receive short money he had to rematch Kambosos in his Australian backyard even as the new champion. The Dream adhered to the lopsided contract to achieve an objective.
When Stevenson was presented with a similar slanted proposition, he passed. As Fearless stated in his own words, he and his team are working behind the scenes to make the Haney duel. Yet, all outward indicators point to a Haney vs Prograis match next. Therefore, only time will tell what comes next.
In the end, it may not be such a bad thing if Haney and Fearless don’t clash next. As Stevenson already highlighted, The Dream does have a doozy of time making the lightweight limit and is likely not his optimal self when competing at 135lbs. Therefore, would we want to see an impaired, weight-drained Haney lock horns with Stevenson or Haney at his strongest version?
If we want the best performance possible then The Dream versus Stevenson probably should take place at 140lbs. For the time being however, let’s first see how this mini-saga unfolds itself.
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