Devin Haney may return to the ring before the end of the year on one of the Honorable Turki Alalshikh's cards in Saudi Arabia.
This will be the first fight for former lightweight champion Haney since losing to Ryan Garcia last April.
Fans will be interested to see how Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) looks physically because he was beaten by Ryan, and there are questions about his ability to take shots without getting hurt or knocked down.
Safe Pick: Michael McKinson
Haney is expected to face a weak fight to ensure that he has no problems in his return fight. He is still in the building phase, so he may not be a puncher when he debuts at 147.
DAZN's Chris Mannix feels that British welterweight Michael McKinson (26-1, 4 KOs) or Alexis Rocha would be a good fit for Haney to fight next because he should beat them safely without injury.
“One of the names I thought of was Michael McKinson. That, to me, makes sense. “Michael McKinson is the 147-lb version of Sandor Martin,” said analyst Chris Mannix on his YouTube channel, talking about potential opponents for Devin Haney's next fight. “He's good, but he can't hurt you.”
McKinson has a deceptive style, and could give Haney problems if he sticks around for the full 10 to 12 rounds. Even with Mckinson's smaller gun, he may be able to take advantage of Haney's weaker form if his counter punching isn't the same as against Ryan.
“As long as Devin is still thinking about himself, has his skills, and has confidence, that's a fight I'd like to win. What [Ryan] Garcia's fight came out of him. I lean more on the optimistic side of that,” Mannix said.
“Even though Devin once took that fight, he was successful in other rounds [where he wasn’t getting knocked down or hurt]. When he was boxing, he was boxing the right way. This was not Ryan Garcia's breakthrough. “
Garcia's lack of stamina helped Haney compete in the fight with Ryan. He was exhausted and could only fight with speed. While Ryan was catching his breath, he was hitting Haney and taking the opportunity to try to catch up. Haney was in the line of fire for Ryan's left hook when he was about to deliver, looking to duck.
“He has a strong connection with Turki Alalshikh. He wants to bring Devin Haney's fights to Saudi Arabia,” said Mannix. “When you come back, you face the type of McKinson or the type of Alexis Rocha. You could certainly argue that Rocha is dangerous as well. Rocha can hit a little. “
Picking Rocha would be a bad idea for Haney because he can punch, which is dangerous. If the fight is made, the safe bet would be McKinson, but definitely not Rocha.
“When you come back, you will fight a small battle. You will be able to lure the champion to Saudi Arabia. “Mario Barrios is out looking for a fight,” said Mannix. “If Devin Haney comes back, I can see him on one of the two end-of-the-year cards against the McKinson brand and be in a big fight in the first quarter of 2025.”
WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios will be the champion Haney can fight if he gets past his first fight at the end of the year.
Garcia's Rematch: Inevitable
“Let's say he [Haney] you win the title. Let's pretend he wins the title against Barrios or Stanionis,” said Mannix. “How big does this make Ryan Garcia's comeback? It makes it big. We all know it's coming. Devin wants to give that back.
“Ryan, if he comes back, he's going to be looking for a big payday. “I don't believe the PPVs were big the first time because people didn't believe the fight would be competitive,” Mannix said of the Haney vs. Garcia fight on April 20.
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