Bill Haney threw Shakur Stevenson a challenge carrying significant financial consequences. Instead of revisiting a 144-pound catchweight bout, Haney wants Stevenson to chase Devin Haney’s WBO welterweight title by becoming the mandatory challenger.
Under that scenario, Shakur could face the same purse split Keyshawn Davis received when ordered to challenge Devin. Those terms entitled the champion to 75 percent of the winning purse bid, leaving the mandatory challenger with 25 percent.
Bill first accused Stevenson of sending Keyshawn Davis to the WBO on a failed mission before inviting him down the exact same road.
“You sent Keyshawn to the WBO to become the mandatory. Now Shakur, go to the WBO, do what your little brother did, and take the fade, or admit you sent him on a dummy mission,” said Bill on X.
“We’re not dropping nothing but our nuts. We’ll defend the WBO title against whoever the WBO puts in front of us. Make yourself the mandatory, Shakur.”
Stevenson defended Davis by insisting he makes his own decisions, then reminded Bill of an existing agreement for a 144-pound fight with Zuffa Boxing. Bill never addressed that point, keeping his focus strictly on the WBO route.
That response seems intentional. A negotiated catchweight fight requires mutual agreement on financial terms. Mandatory title defenses follow sanctioning body rules, meaning a 75-25 split would hand Devin the lion’s share of the purse once again.
The proposal puts the decision on Shakur. Chasing Devin’s WBO title on Bill Haney’s terms means accepting that mandatory challenger price tag. Stevenson must now determine whether a 25 percent share makes sense or if another fight offers a better business opportunity.
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Last Updated on 2026/08/01 at 2:58 PM
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