- Shakur Stevenson has publicly proposed a 144lb catchweight to fight Devin Haney with no rehydration clause
- Haney has responded saying Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis are the biggest fights in boxing — he wants both
- Stevenson ruled out fighting at 147 citing the size gap with Haney and Ryan Garcia
The Proposal: 144 And No Higher
Stevenson has been crystal clear. 144lbs. That's the number. Not 147. Not 150. 144, with no rehydration clause, and he'll meet Haney in the middle of the ring. He said it himself this week — if he doesn't get 144, he'll stay at 140 or even consider dropping back to 135. Make no mistake, this is a serious negotiating position from a man who has just claimed the WBO super-lightweight title by dismantling Teofimo Lopez in January.
Why 144? Because Stevenson is a natural 135-pounder who's moved up to 140 and looked brilliant there. The idea of him walking up to welterweight and fighting men who are rehydrating to 165 is a nonstarter. And he knows it. He's fought Haney as an amateur. He's seen Haney at close range. He knows the size Haney carries. 144 is the compromise — above Stevenson's natural weight, below what Haney would want.
Haney's Response — "I Want Both"
Haney didn't wait. Within hours, he was on social media saying Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis are the biggest fights in boxing and he wants both. Proper answer from a proper fighter. No excuses, no deflection. Haney, to his credit, has been pushing for Stevenson publicly for months. The WBC super-lightweight title he picked up against Romero last year — and the May 30 defence he's got coming — means he walks to this table with a belt too.
If you know, you know Stevenson vs Haney has been talked about since they were kids. They've sparred. They've boxed as amateurs. They've circled each other the whole way up through 135 and 140. This isn't manufactured beef. This is two of the best technicians in boxing finally realising the world wants to see them share a ring.
Why 147 Was Never Going To Happen
Stevenson laid it out properly this week. He said fighting at 147 means facing men who are walking around at 170. For a fighter who's made his name on speed, timing and defence, that size disadvantage is a fight-ender before the bell rings. He's not wrong either. Look at what Garcia has been doing at 147 — he's a big welterweight now, with proper power. Gervonta Davis? Same story. These lads are bigger men than Stevenson, end of.
144 changes that calculus completely. It's a catchweight above Stevenson's comfort zone, but not so far north that he's giving up 20 pounds of rehydrated muscle. It's the fight at a weight that makes it a fight. That's the whole point of a catchweight — you meet where the fight can actually happen.
The Hurdle: Haney's May 30 Romero Defence
There's a snag. Haney has a mandatory to defend first — Rollie Romero on May 30. Romero's a proper puncher with a live dog's chance if Haney slips up. You can't talk Stevenson fight dates until that's done. Assuming Haney gets through Romero — and based on his work against Romero last year and his comeback against Ramirez, he should — we're looking at a late 2026 window for the Stevenson fight at earliest.
That timeline actually works. Stevenson's recovered from the Lopez fight. He's got no mandatories pressing. And frankly, building a proper promotional push for a Stevenson-Haney American-boxing mega-fight needs six months of runway. This isn't a fight you throw together in four weeks. This is Netflix numbers, Saudi money, or a proper US arena — MSG, T-Mobile, Caesars. You pick your moment.
My Prediction — And Who Wins
I'll back Stevenson at 144. Here's why. Haney's the bigger man but Shakur's technique at this level is something else. The way he dealt with Lopez — a natural 135er who moved up and was supposed to have the power edge — should tell you everything. Stevenson's output, angles, and defensive work at 140 have been elite. He's improved shot-by-shot, fight-by-fight.
Haney's a wonderful boxer, but his last three or four performances have been serviceable rather than spectacular. The Ramirez fight was close. The first Garcia fight, we all remember what happened there. If Stevenson catches Haney at 144 with the right game plan, I make him the favourite to win a clear decision — something like 116-112, 117-111.
But let's get the fight first. The negotiation's started. Both men want it. The weight's on the table. Now it's over to the promoters. Make this one happen.