Devin Haney will have the chance to add yet another belt to his collection this May, according to his father and trainer, Bill Haney.
The 27-year-old became a three-weight world champion in November last year, winning the WBO title in his welterweight debut against hard-hitting Brian Norman Jr.
Haney appears well suited to the 147lb scene not only because of his natural size, but because the division is stacked with big names and tough challenges – something the pound-for-pound star has embraced in recent years.
While a rematch with Ryan Garcia, who recently won the WBC title to make it a unification, remains one of the biggest fights in boxing, Haney will instead look to collect another belt before making that happen.
Bill, when speaking to FightHype, confirmed that talks with Rolando Romero have made it over the line.
“Devin gonna put it on his ass, May [30th], Las Vegas. You heard it from me.”
‘Rolly’ Romero – who won the WBA regular belt by beating Garcia last year and was elevated to full champion when Jaron Ennis vacated – recently confirmed the same details but was less bullish about the deal being done.
It would be a struggle to argue that Romero is on the same skill level as Haney, but he brings power to the table and the intriguing factor of holding a win over Garcia, whom he dropped once before scoring a unanimous decision victory.
Though Haney has warned fans that the triangle theory does not apply in boxing, in the build-up to the fight he will be reminded that, while ‘Rolly’ soundly beat Garcia, Haney was knocked down three times by him. The important caveat is that Garcia would subsequently fail a doping test and see his victory overturned.