The WBO Turns Down Devin Haney’s Extension Request to Consider Fighting at 140

Devin Haney has been handed a disappointing baton from the WBO. After his win against Vasyl Lomachenko, the reigning Lightweight undisputed champion made it clear that he is considering moving up in weight. Haney has been in the Lightweight division for a long time. And, as easy as it would’ve seemed in the beginning, this change’s dynamic has proved challenging for the Lightweight.

Days after sending a challenge to Teofimo Lopez, Haney made it known that he wants a title shot at 140 lbs. ‘The Dream’ wanted Lopez’s WBO light-Welterweight title to be on the line since he announced his retirement from the sport. However, it seems like, despite his persistence, the sanctioning body has declined Haney’s extension request to send a response to the 140 lbs decision.

A tough pill to swallow for Devin Haney

After Lopez shocked the entire world by announcing his retirement from the sport following his win against Josh Taylor, many had their eyes set on the WBO Light Welterweight vacant title. Devin was one among them.

WBO sent a ruling to Haney, which stated that a 24-hour response period would be triggered after Lopez’s final decision regarding his retirement from the sport. This same ruling was sent to Jose Ramirez and Arnold Barboza, as these were the two other prospects with their eyes on Lopez’s championship title. However, Haney requested an extension from the sanctioning body to respond to this ruling.

Despite Haney’s request, the sanctioning body refused to grant an extension of the request. And, as alleged by Boxingscence, WBO is now considering a potential clash between Ramirez and Barboza for the vacant WBO Light Welterweight title. This setback comes after Devin Haney’s recent fiasco with Shakur Stevenson.

What happened between ‘The Dream’ and Shakur Stevenson?

A clash between the reigning undisputed champion and a two-division world champion is one of the most anticipated clashes in the sport at the moment. And it seems like Haney has struck the first chord in hopes of finalizing this fight. Haney’s team sent Stevenson a 75/25 purse split offer, which the former undisputed Featherweight champion rejected.

Even though he rejected the offer, he made it clear that he wants to fight but on a reasonable purse split. Stevenson has even sent a letter to the sanctioning bodies urging them to make him the mandatory challenger for Haney. These negotiations have gotten interesting. And, considering Haney’s lost chance to become the WBC light welterweight champion, a fight between the two is very likely.

Read More: 5 Times Devin Haney Brutalized His Opponents With His Power And Boxing IQ

What are your thoughts regarding WBO turning down Haney’s request for an extension? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

Watch This Story: Boxing News Roundup (April 14, 2023): Mike Tyson and Wiz Khalifa on their ‘fun’ deal, Oscar De La Hoya predicts Canelo Alvarez vs. David Benavidez, and more