Devin Haney is a former undisputed world champion, and looks to become a two-division world champion Saturday when he challenges Regis Prograis for his opponent's WBC junior welterweight world title at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The show airs on DAZN PPV.
From his pro debut in 2015 as a teenager in Mexico to becoming undisputed lightweight world champion, Haney, along with his father, Bill, have done it their way and on their terms.
Let’s look back at the career of Devin Haney.
01. An Internet Celebrity
Rather than flying opponents in from Mexico, Haney went to Mexico to fight developmental competition. Yet, fighting in Mexico created a major question — how does one create a fanbase without many fans watching? Hence, the advent of Devin Haney TV, and the social media platforms Haney heavily used during his development, not unlike Justin Bieber.
Many fans of boxing and interesting people on the internet followed his journey. It could’ve been from YouTube, X, Instagram, or whatever means. Yet, eight years later, those teenagers are now adults who have lived part of their lives watching his success — an underrated aspect of his fanbase.
Haney was also one of, if not the first, to film and document sparring sessions, and would even oftentimes belittle opponents.
02. The first ‘e-mail’ champ
After knocking out Zaur Abdullaev as the interim WBC lightweight world champion, the WBC elevated Haney to the WBC lightweight world champion, when the WBC champ at that time Vasiliy Lomachenko became the organization's ‘franchise’ champion.
The promotion of Haney, who had built a strong online presence, caused a little grief amongst fans and the media. Now, the term and fact of e-mail champions have been normalized with Tim Tszyu and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis being recent examples.
03. Stepping up against Linares, and Diaz
Devin Haney fought well against Jorge Linares until he was caught with a big shot by Linares at the end of the 10th round. Despite winning this fight, the fight has caused some doubts about Haney’s punch resistance. Though he beat Linares, the fight ended sluggishly as Haney looked to negate the action in the final rounds after the big punch.
Haney followed up this performance with a fight against former world champion and 2012 Olympian, Joseph Diaz Jr. The bout wasn’t all that exciting, but Haney won on activity.
These two bouts proved that Haney was not just marketing, but also had substance as he beat two world-class fighters.
04. Undisputed
In a merry-go-round of title activity, Teofimo Lopez beat Vasiliy Lomachenko, and George Kambosos Jr. defeated Teofimo Lopez, to set the stage for Devin Haney to enter the fray.
Haney flew to Australia and outpointed Kambosos to become the four-belt undisputed lightweight world champion. Haney had a contractual rematch which forced him to fight Kambosos again in Australia later in 2022, and won that fight easily as well.
Haney went from unproven contender to undisputed lightweight champion in the space of a year.
05. Loma
Haney faced Vasiliy Lomachenko earlier this year.
The bout on ESPN+ pay-per-view will be debated until the end of time due to the result. In the end, Haney’s early work to the body and overall output saw the judges grant him the victory. Lomachenko seemingly won his rounds in a more dominant fashion, making some observers skeptical of the outcome.
In the end, Haney made two defenses of his lightweight undisputed world title before vacating and setting his sights on Regis Prograis at junior welterweight.
