TLDR
- Shakur Stevenson says fight talks with Devin Haney collapsed over weight demands
- Haney allegedly agreed to 144 and 145 pounds before demanding 147 at the last minute
- Stevenson called the situation a waste of everyone’s time on social media
- The fight would have seen Stevenson move up from 140 pounds and Haney come down from 147
- Both fighters remain without announced opponents after the negotiations fell apart
Sources: middleeasy.com | boxingnewsonline.net | boxingnews24.com
Shakur Stevenson says his planned fight with Devin Haney collapsed because Haney changed his weight demands at the last minute. The 29-year-old took to social media to explain why negotiations for the highly anticipated all-American showdown fell apart.
According to Stevenson, Haney agreed to fight at multiple catchweights before backing out. The two sides first discussed meeting at 144 pounds, then moved to 145 pounds during negotiations.
Stevenson originally wanted a catchweight of 144 pounds with a rehydration clause included in the contract. Haney convinced him to drop the rehydration clause and agree to 145 pounds instead.
Shakur Stevenson has never had a problem with aggressive fighters trying to walk him down…
Or a fighter with longer reach trying to go for the body…
Ain’t nothing in the ring Shakur hasn’t seen… pic.twitter.com/2BOFmJqfGG
— finesserwap (@finesserwap) October 15, 2026
Haney Changed Terms at Final Hour
The WBO junior welterweight champion said everything changed when Haney’s lawyer sent an email at the 11th hour. “After agreeing to 144 and then 145, DeeHoe had his lawyer email and say that he would only fight at 147,” Stevenson wrote on social media.
Stevenson called the situation a “big waste of everybody’s time.” He currently holds the WBO title at 140 pounds after defeating Teofimo Lopez by wide unanimous decision in January.
Haney normally fights at 147 pounds, where he holds the WBO world welterweight championship. The 27-year-old hasn’t stepped into the ring since winning that title from Brian Norman Jr by unanimous decision last November.
The proposed catchweight would have required Stevenson to move up from his current 140-pound division. Haney would have been coming down from his usual 147-pound weight class.
What’s Next for Both Fighters
With the Haney fight now off the table, Stevenson may have trouble booking another bout before the year ends. He recently signed a long-term promotional deal with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.
Stevenson has already moved on from the lightweight division where he previously competed. The Ring magazine recently removed him from the top spot at 135 pounds and replaced him with William Zepeda.
Stevenson hasn’t fought at lightweight since his controversial 2025 bout with Zepeda. Many observers felt that fight was much closer than the scorecards suggested, with some scoring it a draw.
Zepeda now leads an exciting lightweight division that includes Abdullah Mason, Floyd Schofield, and Andy Cruz. Stevenson won’t return to that weight class as he continues his campaign at junior welterweight.
Haney remains inactive at welterweight nearly a year after winning his championship. The former lightweight champion has not announced his next opponent or fight date.
Both fighters are considered among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport. Their clash would have been one of the biggest all-American matchups available in boxing today.
Neither Haney nor his team has publicly responded to Stevenson’s claims about the weight negotiations. The breakdown means fans will have to wait longer to see if these two ever meet in the ring.
