Bob Arum could offer Devin Haney the winner of next month’s fight between Josh Taylor and Teofimo Lopez in an attempt to persuade him to remain with Top Rank.
The undisputed lightweight champion will become the world’s most sought-after free agent if, as is expected, he makes the latest defence of his titles on Saturday against Vasyl Lomachenko at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand.
Whether or not he will stay at 135lbs or move up to 140lbs remains unclear – Arum believes he will move to super lightweight “win or lose” – but in the winner of Taylor-Lopez, and in Shakur Stevenson, he has lucrative potential opponents for him in each weight division and will make an attempt to renew his contract when his existing one expires after Saturday.
“It depends on the fight,” Arum told ProBox TV. “It depends on what anybody has to offer him, and if it makes sense for us. If Haney wins or loses he’s going to go up to 140lbs, and we have the winner of Josh Taylor-Teofimo [Lopez], so I think that’s somewhat attractive to him. We’ll see what we see.
“They’re nice people, we get along really nice, but my nose won’t be out of joint if he fought his next fight for Eddie Hearn, or Frank Warren, or Al Haymon. That’s fine – there’s no problem with that.”
Asked if that meant he believed Saturday’s fight will be the 24-year-old’s last at lightweight, Arum responded: “I think so, yeah. I think he has trouble making 135lbs. It’s not going to be easy [for him to stay there].
“If we have a good fight to offer him next, we’ll offer him the fight, and if his people like what we’re offering them he’ll sign with us. If not, he’ll sign with another promoter.
