Devin Haney loves the sport of boxing. From spending countless hours in training camp to performing on fight night, Haney enjoys it all. One part, however, that he doesn't appreciate, is making the 135-pound lightweight limit. As he’s gotten older, squeezing down his ever-growing frame has become more and more arduous. But the name of the game is sacrifices and Haney was willing to do that until he reached his ultimate goal.
Following back-to-back wins over George Kambosos Jr., Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) wrapped every lightweight title around his 24-year-old waist. Although his struggles to make weight have continued, Haney did recently defend his throne against former kingpin, Vasiliy Lomachenko.
After a few sticky moments and a near heart attack as he awaited the judge's decision, Haney now has a choice to make of his own.
Spending his time eating minuscule portions of food and sweating out until his face is bone dry isn't ideal anymore. So, with a reprieve needed, Haney has begun flirting with the concept of moving up in weight.
Of course, the current undisputed lightweight titlist could opt for a soft touch, but he’s frequently made mention of Regis Prograis. This past weekend, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Bill Haney, Devin’s father, grabbed the closest seat he could fight and paid close attention as Prograis successfully defended his title against the unheralded Danielito Zorrilla.
Ho-hum in his performance, Bill smiled from ear to ear as he watched Prograis struggle. His son, mainly, hasn’t officially made his decision on whether he’ll move up and vacate or remain put. Nevertheless, if you begin reading the tea leaves, it appears as though Bill is expecting his boy to eventually handcuff Prograis, force him into a corner, and move forward with their showdown.
“It’s a warrant for Mr. Regis Prograis," said Bill Haney to Fight Hub TV. "I’m sure that Devin will be serving it soon.”