“We did everything right in that training camp. Trained hard, blood, sweat, tears, everything in that training camp. I think that was the best my brother’s training camp ever looked,” Sean Haney (Devin Haney’s younger brother) admitted months after the Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney bout on April 20 last year, where the former emerged victorious by majority decision. But we all know, the win was short-lived. Soon after the fight, Garcia had tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug (PED), Ostarine. And, the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) declared the fight a no-contest, with Haney’s record intact at 31-0. Since both boxers have a feud that dates back to their amateur boxing days, this is a rivalry that simply isn’t one to let go of. Even after a year, fans can’t stop talking about the controversy.

And turns out, the current talk of the town is a rematch between the two. Things have changed a lot since their last face-off. While King Ry was suspended for a year, Devin Haney willingly pulled himself from the boxing landscape for a year. So, it’s just about time both fighters will return to the ring on May 2, 2025, albeit not to face each other. The Dream is all set to throw punches at Jose Ramirez in the Fatal Fury: Times Square card in New York City. The same card where Ryan Garcia will headline the fight against Rolando Romero. If both 26-year-olds win their respective bouts, there may be a rematch in October next.

So with a fight coming soon and a rematch looming in the distance, how does Devin Haney asses his last performance? Well, recently, in a conversation with Naji Chill on Cigar Talk, Haney opened up about his Garcia loss a year ago. “Obviously Ryan did what he did, but I got to take some, you know, responsibility,” Haney confessed in a surprising admission. “I wasn’t doing everything right that I could so, I had to take the accountability and humble myself. Get out of my ego, and realize what I was doing wrong. And, where what I could be doing better.” This appears to be in stark contrast to his earlier belief that the fault squarely rested on Ryan Garcia’s shoulders for his dismal performance and eventual loss.

However, that is what champions do—own their mistakes, and reach out for growth. He continued, “I always train hard, it’s just in me. But, I was waking up in my mansion every day, you know? Driving my Rolls-Royce. Showing up 45 minutes, hour late to the gym. Just cuz I wanted to. But now, I switch up, and I feel better with myself.” From the outside, it may look like Devin Haney is being hard on himself. But on the inside, he knows that his luxury lifestyle, although earned, may have contributed in pulling him down.

Soon, even Chill hopped on, asking Haney what he could’ve done better. To which, the San Francisco native boxer replied, “It’s a fight game, at the end of the day. It is what it is, you know? I made mistakes in there. It’s not the first fight I made mistakes. It’s boxing. You’re never going to find a perfect fight. The situation happened, whatever happened. But now, we move on from it. Now, it’s time to focus on the future. You know, God gave me another shot at it. Opportunity to go face Jose Ramirez, and go show my skills. Show that I’m back and then go have another shot at Ryan. So that’s my main focus.”

But then again, what are the odds that Garcia-Haney may actually even happen? Devin Haney would need to defeat Ramirez first.

Devin Haney’s rematch hunger takes a reality check

“I feel that Ramirez is gonna do a number on Devin Haney,” Oscar De La Hoya, the head honcho of Golden Boy Promotions, said in an interview with DAZN Boxing a few weeks ago. “We’re not gonna see Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney two. I believe [that] Ramirez will stop the show.” Clearly, Haney has taken a toll after losing to Garcia. De La Hoya thinks he’s been lost, and the Garcia match has left a lasting imprint on the boxer’s career. That’s exactly why the promoter suggests that Haney should drop the idea of facing Garcia again anytime soon.

As for the now-disciplined boxer, Ryan Garcia, Hall of Famer, Tim Bradley, has predicted the outcome for his upcoming bout. “I think Ryan’s gonna catch him with that left hook and it’s gonna be night-night,” Bradley told Fight Hub TV. “I think Ryan has changed, definitely. A lot more calmer, very respectful. I think he’s going to win by knockout,” he added, pointing to a knockout victory for Garcia over Romero.

And if that happens—Haney losing and Garcia winning against their respective opponents on May 2nd, it would only pull the fighters away from a possible rematch. For now, it seems like the future can’t be pinpointed for sure. We’ll know when the bell rings on May 2. What are your thoughts? Do you think the Garcia-Haney rematch is inevitable?