Bradley, Max Kellerman and Mike Coppinger debated the stalled negotiations, with the panel arguing that Haney’s camp now controls the public narrative
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Tim Bradley believes Shakur Stevenson has lost momentum in negotiations with Devin Haney after agreeing to a 144-pound catchweight before going public. The discussion quickly turned to whether Haney’s camp had taken control of the conversation surrounding one of boxing’s biggest potential fights.
“I was cool with the 144. Cool with that. I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, it’s meet in the middle.’ Haney gave up that 144 right away, bro,” former world champion Tim Bradley told InsideRingShow about Shakur. “That’s what you said. And then you’re missing. You’re going MIA to hear crickets. Where are you? He’s trying to make the damn fight.”
Later in the discussion, host Max Kellerman suggested Bill Haney had done an effective job of putting Stevenson on the defensive in the court of public opinion.
“Bill Haney did a great job of framing the conversation in such a way that everybody was like, ‘Well, if Shakur wants to be great, he should.’
Kellerman argued that Shakur has multiple paths to superstardom and shouldn’t be judged solely on whether a fight with Haney happens next. He also defended Stevenson’s request for a 144-pound catchweight, noting that Haney has grown into a naturally bigger fighter.
Not everyone on the panel agreed. Mike Coppinger argued that elite fighters are expected to challenge naturally bigger opponents if they want to establish themselves as the sport’s best, and pointed to past champions moving up in weight for defining fights.
The discussion came after Bill Haney publicly claimed his team had already sent Shakur a contract and encouraged him to sign it. Stevenson had previously expressed interest in facing Haney at a 144-pound catchweight, although the negotiations have yet to produce an official agreement.
One point drew broad agreement from the panel: Haney’s camp took control of the conversation, leaving Stevenson with mounting questions from fans about why the fight still needed to be completed.
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