Devin Haney could return to the ring before the end of the year on one of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s cards in Saudi Arabia.
For former undisputed lightweight champion Haney, this will be the first fight since his loss to Ryan Garcia last April.
Fans will be curious to see how Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) looks physically, as he took a beating from Ryan and there are questions about his ability to take hits without getting hurt or going down.
The safe choice: Michael McKinson
Haney is expected to face a weak puncher to ensure he doesn’t get into trouble in his rematch. He is in the rebuilding phase, so he probably won’t be a puncher in his debut in the 147 class.
Chris Mannix of DAZN believes that British welterweight Michael McKinson (26-1, 4 KOs) or Alexis Rocha would be perfect for Haney’s next fight, as he should be able to defeat them without getting injured.
“One of the names that came to mind was Michael McKinson. That makes sense to me. Michael McKinson is the 147-pound version of Sandor Martin,” commentator Chris Mannix said on his YouTube channel about possible opponents for Devin Haney’s next fight. “He’s good, but he’s not going to hurt you.”
McKinson has a tricky style and could cause problems for Haney if he lasts the full 10-12 rounds. Even with Mckinson’s light punches, he could take advantage of Haney’s weak state if his punch resistance is not the same as when he fought Ryan.
“As long as Devin still has a clear head, his skills and his confidence, this is a fight I would prefer him to win. What the fight against (Ryan) Garcia demanded of him. I tend to be more optimistic,” said Mannix.
“Even though Devin took that loss, he was successful in the other rounds (where he wasn’t knocked down or hurt). When he boxed, he boxed reasonably well. This wasn’t a stunning win for Ryan Garcia.”
Garcia’s poor stamina helped Haney compete against Ryan. He got tired and could only fight in bursts. When Ryan caught his breath, he struck at Haney, taking advantage of his attempt to clinch him. Haney was in the line of fire of Ryan’s left hook when he gave way and tried to clinch him.
“He has a strong connection with Turki Alalshikh. He wants to have Devin Haney fight in Saudi Arabia,” Mannix said. “If you’re going up against a McKinson guy or an Alexis Rocha guy. You can certainly argue that Rocha is pretty dangerous too. Rocha can pack a little punch.”
Choosing Rocha would not be a good idea for Haney as he can throw punches which is dangerous. If the fight could happen, McKinson would be the safe choice but definitely not Rocha.
“If you come back against a weaker fighter, you’ll be able to lure a champion to Saudi Arabia. Mario Barrios is out there looking for a fight,” Mannix said. “If Devin Haney comes back, I could see him on one of the two cards at the end of the year against a McKinson guy and then right away in a big fight in the first quarter of 2025.”
WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios would be a beatable champion for Haney if he survives his prep fight at the end of the year.
The Garcia rematch: Inevitable
“Let’s say he (Haney) wins a title. Let’s say he wins a title against Barrios or Stanionis,” Mannix said. “How much bigger does that make a rematch against Ryan Garcia? That makes him huge. We all know he’s coming. Devin wants to do that again.”
“Ryan will be looking for a big payday when he comes back. I don’t think the PPVs were that big the first time around because people didn’t think the fight would be competitive,” Mannix said of the Haney-Garcia fight on April 20.
