Devin Haney may be able to deviate from the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration limit if his fight against IBF light-welterweight champion Liam Paro is made for December 7.
According to promoter Eddie Hearn, Haney’s status as WBC ‘Champion in Recess’ means a fight against IBF belt holder Paro (25-0, 15 KOs) will be a “unification” without 10-lb rehydration.
Champion in recess status: a way out?
Without that loophole, Haney’s chances of meeting the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration rule would be nearly impossible, as he rehydrates into the mid-160s after weighing in at 140.
That’s an absurd amount of weight for a fighter to rehydrate to for any division, which is why Haney has to bypass the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration rule.
There’s no way on earth that Devin will be able to hold down fluids overnight after weighing in on the Friday before the fight to get no more than 150 pounds on the morning of fight day. He would risk his health to try.
Haney will look sick if he has to refrain from fully rehydrating after weigh-in. True light welterweights like Paro will have no problem with the IBF’s 10-lb rehydration, but not guys who have to fight junior middleweights like Haney.
As much weight as Haney puts on after weighing in, he should be up there with the likes of Sebastian Fundora, Vergil Ortiz and Terence Crawford at 154 pounds. It’s understandable why Haney doesn’t choose to compete in that division, because life would be hard for him to fight those killers.
“This is a fight Devin thinks he can win. He’s on break with the WBO, so it’s a unification/retrieval of a title (fight),” Eddie Hearn told Boxingscene.
Unification or not?
The WBC has already elevated Alberto Puello to the 140-lb champion throne, and Haney being the ‘Champion in Recess’ may not consider this a unification fight.
You must hold the full title to count as a merger. All the ‘Champion in Recess’ tag means is that a former champion can return at some point and immediately challenge the existing WBC champion for their old belt. That doesn’t mean they can use the WBC champion in the recess for unification fights against other champions. If the WBC allowed it, they would essentially have created another title.
If Haney can avoid the IBF’s rehydration rule for the Paro fight, he will be in good shape to potentially unseat the new 140-lb champion. Paro is still a dangerous matchup for Haney because this guy can hit with either hand, and he has the southpaw style that could potentially give Haney problems.
