Notebook: The ins and outs of what's up with Haney-Lopez mess
Fight back in play and here's why; Donaire set to fight for interim bantamweight belt off 2-year layoff; WBC orders Jack-Mikaelian rematch; Akhmadaliev cements Inoue shot; Quick hits; Show and tell
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A fight between Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez is back on track, multiple people involved told Fight Freaks Unite.
The fight came as a surprise to most when Fight Freaks Unite reported that a deal was made on May 27 and although the contracts had not been signed, all terms were agreed to and the paperwork was in the hands of each side for a bout organized by Turki Alalshikh.
The plan for lineal/WBO junior welterweight champion Lopez to move up in weight for a 12-rounder against Haney, the former undisputed lightweight champion and former WBC junior welterweight titlist, at a contract weight of 145 pounds on Aug. 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Haney and Lopez both won decisions on Alalshikh’s Ring magazine card on May 2 in Times Square in New York. Lopez routed Arnold Barboaz Jr., the interim titlist and mandatory challenger. Haney, moving up in weight for a bout contracted at 144 pounds, did the same to former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Ramirez, although Haney took significant criticism for his extremely cautious style and dramatic lack of punch output.
Going into the card the plan was that if Haney won and Ryan Garcia defeated Rolando Romero in the main event for the vacant WBA “regular” welterweight title that Haney and Garcia would meet in Riyadh in a fall rematch of their controversial no contest in April 2024.
Alalshikh had also spoken of his desire to also have Lopez on the card moving up to welterweight to challenge champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs), who unified the IBF and WBA titles by one-sided sixth-round knockout of Eimantas Stanionis on April 12.
That plan unraveled. Garcia lost a decision to Romero and looked particularly bad in doing so. He also suffered a hand injury and had surgery last week, and the decision was made to hold off on Garcia-Haney II.
Also, Ennis turned down the opportunity to next face Lopez, according to several people involved. The logical move then became to match Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) and Haney (32-0, 15 KOs), the two guys looking for a top opponent, and an agreement was hashed out.
However, hours after the fight was agreed to, Lopez, apparently upset that Alalshikh failed to deliver the Ennis bout — and that his pay to fight Haney would be a bit less than had he faced Ennis for the money promised to him — lashed out at Alalshikh on social media.