Former WBC super lightweight champion Devin Haney is poised for his highly anticipated return to the ring. The San Francisco, California native last stepped into the squared circle in April, facing off against former WBC interim lightweight champion Ryan Garcia. Despite entering the bout as the overwhelming favorite, the outcome did not unfold in his favor.

From the opening bell, Garcia took control of the fight, knocking down ‘The Dream’ three times on his way to securing a majority decision victory. However, his triumph over his career rival was short-lived. Within a week of the bout, VADA revealed that Garcia had tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine, sending his victory into a tailspin.

Devin Haney enrolls in VADA

The New York State Athletic Commission quickly handed Garcia a year-long suspension, fined him a part of his purse, and to add a cherry on top, expunged Haney’s loss, turning it into a no-contest. However, this was the beginning of all the troubles for the Victorville native. Haney filed a lawsuit against Garcia, alleging breach of contract, fraud, and battery. 

Despite the ongoing lawsuit, Haney and his team remain eager to set the stage for a rematch once Garcia’s suspension ends in April. For months, many assumed this would mark Haney’s return to the ring, especially after he declined a bout against Sandor Martin—his WBC super lightweight mandatory—due to dissatisfaction with the low purse bid.

However, there’s a twist in the story! Earlier today, the 26-year-old hopped on X to reveal that he is returning to the ring in March. “March.. I’m back,” he wrote. This is further backed by the fact that Devin Haney recently joined VADA’s regular testing. “@Vada_Testing welcomes @Realdevinhaney to our 24/7/365 program that will extend to January 2, 2026,” VADA wrote on X. 

Haney’s tweet has ignited a firestorm in the boxing world—while some fans are thrilled by the announcement, others have been quick to take jabs at ‘The Dream.’

No Ryan Garcia, no problem

With the level of drama the April fight created, it didn’t take long for people to start asking questions about Haney’s next opponent. One user got right to the point, enquiring about Haney’s target. “Let’s go!! Who you running the squabble with?” the user asked. As of the time of writing, the identity of the opponent has not been revealed. 

Meanwhile, this user offered some valuable advice for ‘The Dream’ if he dreams of winning the fight. “This should be you first day of training camp,” the user wrote while attaching a video of a boxer getting his hand tapped to his face. The user suggests that Haney needs to improve his technique by keeping his guard up while jabbing—a crucial flaw that contributed to his loss against Garcia. 

Another user came ready with the opponents Haney should square off against. “You have to fight Sandor or Puello, accept what you worth,” the user wrote. Haney has already refused the Sandor Martin fight. And Alberto Puello is the current ‘interim’ WBC super lightweight champion, so Puello might very well be Haney’s opponent.

The next user didn’t seem to care about Haney’s return. “OK, I don’t think anybody cares but OK that’s good to know,” wrote the user. However, this fight is a pivotal moment for Haney to prove he is still a great boxer—and the quality of his opponent will convey that.

Someone else brought up a rumor from the past. “The broken jaw is now healed?” the user asked. There was a rumor after the April fight that Garcia’s repeated left hooks had broken Haney’s jaw. Haney’s face did look swollen, so the rumor caught some wind. However, Haney himself confirmed he was fine.

That said, excited about the fight or not, fans are clearly talking about it, which can only be a plus for Haney. All that is left is for him to reveal who he will fight next. Who do you think Haney would fight?