Bill Haney insists there was a “hand-shake understanding” that Teofimo Lopez would face Devin Haney if Ryan Garcia fell out of the picture, and he’s now accusing the former lightweight king of ducking that promise. “They reached out to make the fight happen, but [Team Lopez] are quiet,” Haney Sr. told BoxingScene, adding that Saudi power-broker Turki Alalshikh has already opened negotiations.
Lopez has spent the fortnight since out-pointing Arnold Barboza Jr. in Times Square calling for a leap to welterweight against unified champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis and even name-checking Terence Crawford.
Haney was criticised for a safety-first win over Jose Ramirez on the same May 2 card, yet his father notes the 26-year-old has already defeated seven full world champions and wants back in as early as August. A Garcia rematch is on ice after the Californian’s loss to Rolly Romero, leaving Lopez as the most lucrative option.
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“Devin will punish him round by round and make him ‘take it back’ - every slur, every word,” Bill warned, claiming the clash eclipses any Lopez-Ennis purse. He says only Alalshikh can deliver it: “If Turki can’t, we’ll pray to God - because that’s the next level up.”
Lopez has not responded publicly to the challenge, but with Saudi dates filling fast, silence may soon equal surrender.
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