Mauricio Sulaiman is okay with Devin Haney not wanting the franchise belt
The Franchise belt has caused all kinds of confusion since its inception back in 2019. Things got even more bizarre when the WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman announced that a rule change had been added to the belt, not allowing it to change hands. He would change the narrative again, later, claiming it to also be part of undisputed. Furthermore, he responded to WBC champion Devin “The Dream” Haney who wants nothing to do with the Franchise belt.
FRANCHISE BELT NOT WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS
Several fighters, in the beginning, have expressed not wanting any part at all of having anything to do with the Franchise belt.
“I don’t mess with no franchise belt. I don’t mess with no regular, or super belt. There is only one champion in the weight, and that’s it. Ain’t no franchise, no silver, none of that….I only go by the actual champion.”
Terence Crawford, WBO welterweight champion
“That franchise belt should be taken out of boxing.”
Gervonta Davis, Two-divisional champion
“Why would you crown someone that?”
Deontay Wilder, former WBC heavyweight champion
HANEY WAS AFFECTED THE MOST
The boxing community has never welcomed the title with open arms. The one fighter that has been affected by this the most is WBC lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney. The Dream was on the heels of fighting then unified champion Vasiliy “Hi-Tech” Lomachenko. However, the WBC bestowed the franchise title upon him, and Haney got elevated to WBC champion.
The two fighters got into a heated public exchange as Haney would attack team Lomachenko for asking for the franchise belt instead of fighting him.
“You gave me the belt, why? Never asked for the belt, I asked for a fight.”
Devin Haney, WBC lightweight champion
Lomachenko denied having asked for the franchise belt. However, Sulaiman later revealed Lomachenko’s promotional company, Top Rank, asked for the designated belt.
Things did not get any easier for Haney. The WBC would reveal the franchise belt could be used to crown an undisputed champion when Lomachenko and IBF champion Teofimo “The Takeover” Lopez fought back in 2020. Lopez would win the fight, and like a false prophet, he carried on the charade of being called undisputed. Keep in mind, all of the other sanctioning bodies recognized Haney as the legit WBC champion.
SULAIMAN RESPONDS TO HANEY
As fate would have it, Lopez would lose to mandatory challenger George Kambosos on November 27. It caused a domino effect as Haney could get a chance at being a true undisputed champion, with a possible showdown with the unified champion, Kambosos, in 2022.
Haney emphasized wanting nothing to do with the franchise belt, which has caused him so much grief.
“With all due respect, when I do fight for undisputed, I don’t even want the franchise title.”
Devin Haney, WBC lightweight champion
Sulaiman spoke to the media via conference call and addressed the comments by the WBC champion.
“I saw my champion, Haney’s comments, after the fight where he says when he fights Kambosos, he will not care for the franchise. Perfect! Because one of the things of the franchise element is it has to be requested.”
Mauricio Sulaiman, WBC president
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By: Garrisson Bland
