Devin Haney Warned for “Trying to Play a Floyd Mayweather When You’re Not”

It’s been over two months since the Ryan Garcia–Devin Haney high drama finally unfolded to a poignant conclusion. Garcia won’t see the face of the ring at least till April next year. Then his WBC expulsion following the online rants has only added to his challenges. On the other hand, Haney also announced a temporary break from boxing. Now that the whole scandal has largely simmered down, the light welterweight champion has begun making public appearances.

His appearance at the ‘Bud’ Crawford–Israil Madrimov showdown delighted some fans. But then a few others weren’t so, as clips of Haney involved in a public brawl went viral. Nevertheless, talks about the former undisputed champion’s impending return are beginning to surface. But there are a few who still harbor doubts about whether ‘The Dream’ is ready to face reality. Voicing his disapproval, Andre Dirrell questioned Haney’s need for a heavy security detail and urged him to drop what he saw as an attempt to imitate Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The pitfalls of emulating a boxing icon, according to Andre Dirrell

Basically sharing his thoughts on his chances against someone like ‘Tank’ Davis, Dirrell was trying to advise Haney to pull up his act. “Going in the gym, man, you’ve got to work on a real game plan,” said the Athens Olympics bronze medalist. Then calling him out directly, Andre Dirrell stated it’s been some time since ‘The Dream’ has been playing out the ‘Floyd Act’.

Dirrell slammed the pretense that he’s always despised. Be it a gym or a shopping mall, Devin Haney has been moving under intensive security coverage. He wondered about the sort of threats the young boxer might be thinking of when he is outside. ‘The Resurrected’ clarified that his intention was not to demean ‘The Dream’. Nevertheless, he was curious to know on what basis he considers himself equal to Mayweather Jr. when he is nowhere near the level at which the unbeaten former champion stood.

He said, “Bro, like you trying to play Floyd Mayweather when you’re not nowhere near his level, bro, and then it’s like, are you trying to tack on to your abilities—that’s my question—or are you trying to just portray the image? There’s a big difference.” Hence, he wanted to see something substantial from Devin Haney.

But in Dirrell’s view, it could be a blessing in disguise for Haney. Devin Haney has not yet made his return to the ring. However, he has been increasingly under scrutiny. Hence, Dirrell suggested, the young boxer could utilize the time to upskill himself.

At a critical juncture

Otherwise, there’s little chance he would be able to withstand the attack unleashed by ‘Tank’ in their much-anticipated clash. Andre Dirrell opined that it could be the precise reason why Devin Haney may have avoided the potential faceoffs against Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson. “I see your fundamentals are absolutely gone; they’re non-existent, bro,” Dirrell concluded. Needless to say, the increasingly viral footage soon witnessed a response from ‘The Dream’.

Probably the Flint, Michigan-born boxer’s concerns might have sprung up following reports of a fight between Haney and Liam Paro being looked into. The Australian has proved himself a serious hitter. Given the way he dealt with the division’s ‘boogeyman’, Subriel Matias, many may doubt whether Haney is truly prepared for the challenge.

What’s your opinion? Do you think Andre Dirrell is justified in questioning how Devin Haney has been handling his business, or was that out of line?