Regis Prograis, the former WBC light welterweight champion, doesn’t blame Devin Haney for giving up his title instead of taking a lower-paying, high-risk fight against incumbent Sandor Martin.
Left Hooks, Not PEDs, Led to Haney’s Downfall
Prograis notes that Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) is looking for a big fight, and he wouldn’t get it against Sandor, who would be a tough matchup for him. He thinks it’s best for Haney to rematch Ryan Garcia, who defeated him via a 12-round decision on April 20.
Prograis says Ostarine Ryan was tested and is not the reason Haney lost him. He feels that it was the left hooks that Haney kept getting hit with and that’s why he lost. It had nothing to do with the things Ryan had on his schedule.
Haney’s Weight Appeal Is Paradoxical
Regis finds it ironic that Haney is complaining about Ryan being tough in their fight when he did the same against him by returning the water to the 160s after weighing in at 140 for their clash on December 9th last year at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
“I heard him say, ‘Boxing is dirty.’ It’s only dirty when it happens to you,” said Regis Prograis on MillCity Boxing about Devin Haney. “I don’t know what you’re going to do. I know you want a big name. He wants a big fight, but he has to find out who he will be.”
Haney and his father, Bill, have been complaining 24/7 about Ryan’s test, doing their job this time with credit. By talking about it, Haney keeps his name in the spotlight.
βI think it’s a combination of both. I don’t think he’s afraid of Sandor Martin, but he doesn’t earn anything. It’s risk versus reward,” said Prograis, explaining why Haney vacated his WBC light welterweight title.
Most people agree that Sandor Martin would have been a nightmare for Haney, and he might have finished what Ryan started by taking him out. A loss to Sandor would have been the end of Haney as an active name. While Haney will still be useful as a contender for the up-and-comers as a trial horse, he can’t be forgotten about on PPV.
Reuniting with Garcia Makes More Sense
“If I were him, I would have done the same thing. There is little money. Fighting Sandor Martin, it’s the lowest reward for the highest risk. He [Haney] maybe he can do something else. That’s why he’s giving up the belt,” said Prograis about Haney doing the right thing by giving up the WBC light welterweight belt to avoid Sandor.
It makes sense if Haney and Bill can sweet talk Ryan into giving them a rematch, but other than that, they’ll be trying to finish fights as well as anyone and may end up agreeing to challenge for the IBF 140-lb title. Liam Paro or WBO champion Teofimo Lopez.
βThat would make sense [to rematch Ryan]. Whatever he had in his system, it didn’t do anything in the fight. Ryan did the same thing you did to me. That’s how I feel,” Prograis said of his belief that Ryan trashed Haney the way Devin did against him when he returned the favor in the 160s in their fight last December.
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