Shakur Stevenson Pulls the Strings to Make the Devin Haney Fight a Reality

It has been confirmed that Shakur Stevenson has officially reached out to the WBC. It has asked the body to mandate a fight between him and Devin Haney. An exciting showdown awaits if the WBO does acknowledge the plea sent out by Stevenson’s managers. He had earlier called on Haney to enter the ring against him after the latter won against Vasiliy Lomachenko. In a letter accessed by Boxing Scene’s Jake Donovan, the team has also asked for a more appropriate purse for both fighters. This is in contrast to the previously disproportionate one.

Earlier in May, ‘Sugar’ (20-0 10 KOs) challenged Haney (30-0, 15 KOs) to meet in the ring in the wake of the Lomachenko victory. The former thought that Loma was the more deserving winner. He cited the cleaner punches and the clear shots Loma landed on Devin. What decision will the WBO take is something to watch out for. However, it does seem like the odds are in Stevenson’s favor and the fight might happen.

Shakur Stevenson is the designated mandatory challenger

The letter by Stevenson’s managers to the WBC informs the body that he has been designated the mandatory challenger for Lightweight Champion Haney. Both Josh Dubin and co-manager James Prince have tried to break a deal with Haney’s team, however, all attempts to no avail.

Further, both of them have requested the WBC to order the bout so that the Free Negotiations Period can officially begin. The letter stated, “I am confident that once the thirty (30) day negotiation deadline is set, we will make more headway.” They also said that if there is no agreement, Stevenson will enforce his mandatory position.

Shakur Stevenson has signed the deal with Prince and Dubin and is a staple of Top Rank’s promotional company. However, Haney currently remains promotion-free. His previous three fights were under the co-promotion of Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment. Haney entered the deal as the WBC lightweight champion. He further used the deal to unify the 135-pound division through continuous wins over George Kambosos in 2022.

Also Read: “He’s Ducking Me”: Post The Devin Haney Fiasco, Shakur Stevenson Seemingly Shifts Focus to Vasyl Lomachenko

On May 20, 2023, he fought 12 rounds and emerged victorious against Lomachenko to defend his four titles. However, at this point, Sugar was already the mandatory challenger. He reached that position by knocking out the then-undisputed Shuichiro Yoshino (16-1, 12KOs) in a WBC lightweight title eliminator in April.

Shakur’s team proposes a 50-50 purse

The same day when Haney won over Lomachenko, he had a conversation with Stevenson about fighting soon. However, their deal did not see the light as Sugar was offered a sad 25% of the purse. In the letter by Stevenson’s team, his managers have also addressed him being fairly compensated. Generally, the proceeds are ascertained only after the free-negotiations period lapses. However, if the WBC does enforce such a period, Shakur’s team has also proposed his percentage of the purse.

The team cited the market value of Sugar. It said, “When considering the market value of Shakur Stevenson, by any and every metric, it is quite clear that a 50-50% split is appropriate.” It also added about the drawing power and the fact that his latest televised fights have exceeded respectable ratings. The letter not only asks the WBC to enforce the mandatory challenge but also seeks an appropriate percentage of the fight for Stevenson. His managers have left no stone unturned to get him what he deserves.

However, it is to see if the WBC accepts the conditions of the letter. There is a high chance that the body will enforce the fight but the purse bids are yet to be decided. Who do you think should get the bigger split from the purse? Let us know in the comments section below.

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