This immediately invites questions because Stevenson has previously pursued protective terms in other marquee options. He sought a 10-pound rehydration clause in talks for a fight with Conor Benn, a request that was reportedly turned down. He has also been linked to a 144-pound catchweight or a fight at 140 for a showdown with Ryan Garcia.
Those details are important when Haney is on the other side of the table. Haney fought above lightweight and carries the frame of a naturally bigger man. If the proposed meeting is at 147, any rehydration restriction could become a major sticking point because it would directly affect Haney’s size advantage on fight night.
Devin is currently the WBO welterweight champion, and both he and Bill have been vocal about not negotiating against themselves.
Bill Haney’s primary focus has always been Devin’s physical health and performance. Even back at 135 and 140, making weight was a grueling process for Devin. Now that he’s settled at 147, asking him to limit his rehydration to 10 pounds is asking him to fight a physical disadvantage.
The biggest obstacle is the ego and the A-side status. Bill Haney considers Devin a pay-per-view attraction who has already moved up and conquered several divisions. In their eyes, Shakur is the challenger at 147.
Stevenson deserves credit for chasing big names, but there’s a clear difference between asking for elite fights and accepting them on open terms. Fans often respect the older model for moving up, taking on the challenge and dealing with the natural drawbacks without scale protection.
Haney vs Stevenson is still a strong attraction. But if weight clauses become the story again, talks could stall before punches are ever thrown.
