Promoter Eddie Hearn says Devin Haney has been psychologically and emotionally damaged by his loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20 and has lost some of his love for the sport.
Hearn feels that the combination of beating Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and the positive PED test results for Ryan did something to him.
A Year of Healing
He predicts Haney won’t fight for the rest of the year and will wait until mid-2025 to try to avenge his loss to Ryan. Hearn isn’t sure what weight Haney, 25, will fight at when he does return.
Former two-division world champion Haney has had trouble making 140 since last year, so it might be wise for him to move up to 147. However, moving up to 147 could create problems for Haney due to the strength of fighters in it. divisions, and he may need help to overcome them.
“When those guys were in the ring, I looked at the size of Ryan Garcia. He looked like a middleweight. He didn’t even really look in shape,” Eddie Hearn told the All The Smoke YouTube channel, talking about Devin Haney’s loss to Ryan Garcia on April 20th.
Ryan looked no bigger than Haney in the ring the night of the fight. Haney didn’t lose because of Ryan’s size; instead, he couldn’t take his power. Additionally, Haney’s habit of clinch frequently put him in the line of fire for Ryan’s short left hook.
Haney should have changed that habit for this fight and focused on staying on the outside. His non-stop complaining in his fights against Regis Prograis and George Kambosos allowed him to get away with killing them by nullifying their offense without the referee addressing the issue.
A risky rematch
“Everybody’s going to ask for the rematch with Ryan, but it won’t be until the middle of next year,” Hearn said of Haney. So are you going to stay at 140 or go to 147? You have to fight the right fight. “He still wants a lot of money to fight. Devin made a lot of money, but you have to really want it.”
If Haney is going to fight before the rematch with Ryan, he needs to be careful to make sure he doesn’t fight someone with power. If he gets knocked out, a state commission won’t erase the loss this time, and his rematch with Ryan will go down the drain.
“I don’t think he’s running back. I think he lost a little love for the sport because of what happened,” Hearn said. “He took a bit of a beating that night. Now the question is, ‘How bad do you want it?’ The moment a fighter starts fighting for money, “Just one more.” They’re not the same fighter,” Hearn said of Devin.
The fact that Haney wants a big payday similar to what he got against Ryan will make it difficult, if not impossible, for him to return in a non-dangerous fight. There are no weak opponents that Haney can fight to get a huge payday, and he will be forced to either take a pay cut or sit inactive until the rematch with Ryan.
The lingering effects of defeat
“‘Do I still have it? Do I still want it? I have $15 million in the bank. Life is good. Am I still hungry?’ Because you know, once the hunger goes,” Hearn said.
“He showed an incredible heart. I think the defeat is quite psychologically and emotionally damaging for Devin and I think it will take him some time to get over it. I don’t think he’ll fight again this year,” Hearn said.
If Haney is emotionally and psychologically damaged from the Ryan Garcia fight, he should forget about fighting him again because it would be too risky. Ryan will pick up where he left off and Haney bats around the ring with ease.
