“I know fans like to get excited, and they could play with y’all heads and manipulate y’all easily, but that rumor is cap for the 2nd time,” said Shakur on X, reacting to the report of him being in negotiations with Devin Haney. “I haven’t heard one word about that, idk what they tryna cover up or disguise, but for me and my team we haven’t heard s***.”
The denial came shortly after reports circulated that Haney and Stevenson were discussing a fight, with weight said to be the main issue slowing progress. Stevenson’s response directly challenges that version of events and leaves the status of any talks unclear.
It also puts attention on how quickly boxing rumors can spread when attached to two recognizable names. Haney and Stevenson have been linked in fan discussion for years, making the matchup an easy target for speculation.
For Devin Haney, the math just doesn’t add up. Why take a technical masterclass against Shakur Stevenson, where the chance of looking bad or losing on points is high, when a $20 million+ payday against Ryan Garcia is already being targeted for September 5th at Allegiant Stadium?
Outboxing Shakur is a tall order for anyone. Shakur’s hit and don’t get hit philosophy makes him a nightmare for fighters who rely on timing and size.
If Devin loses a dull 12-round decision to Shakur, he loses his WBO Welterweight title and his leverage as a champion.
Ryan Garcia had predicted today the fight would not happen, posting that neither man was likely to face the other.
“There’s no way that Devin is going to fight Shakur or vice versa. I’d bet whatever on that,” said Ryan on X.
At the moment, the clearest public statement belongs to Stevenson, and it was blunt: no talks, no contact, no deal.
Read the full article here