It looks like WBO welterweight champ Devin Haney won't be fighting a unified title bout with WBA champ Rolando Romero this Summer after Haney has rejected the financial terms.
Looks like WBO welterweight champion Devin Haney needs a new fight for his next welterweight showdown. This, as he revealed on social media in the last few days that there were issues with the money on his end for the fight to happen.
Further, insider Dan Rafael reported on his "Fight Freaks Unite" Substack Thursday morning that Haney wasn't been offered any financial guarantee to fight Romero in a bout that had been penciled in for May 30th at either the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY or in Las Vegas.
Rafael wrote,
The negotiations for a unification fight between WBO welterweight titlist Devin Haney and WBA titleholder Rolando Romero have fallen through, sources told Fight Freaks Unite....
Last month, Romero posted to social media that he was “signed, sealed and delivered. Big boy deal.” Most likely, he was referring to having taken care of his end of the deal with TGB Promotions and PBC. Haney, a promotional free agent, however, had not made his deal and ultimately did not.
According to a source with knowledge of the offer, Haney declined the fight because there was no guaranteed purse, just a percentage of any profits. Further, the source said, Haney was only offered 50 percent, not nearly enough for Haney, the far more accomplished fighter than Romero as the former undisputed lightweight champion and former WBC junior welterweight titleholder.
“Rolly delusional acting like he some kind of draw but can’t sell out a ballroom,” Haney posted on social media over the weekend. “That’s why the fight hasn’t been made yet. The money isn’t right. I’m looking at other options. He can go fight his mandatory since he’s such a draw.”
The Californian Haney, 33-0, 15 KOs, was last in the ring in an impressive showing last November in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as he dropped WBO champ Brian Norman in the second round and was the busier more accurate puncher in an easy unanimous decision win to become a three-division titleholder.
Romero, 17-2, 13 KOs, is from Las Vegas and has not fought since dropping Ryan Garcia in the second round and handing him an upset decision loss to win the vacant WBA “regular” title in a slow-paced bout that headlined a Ring magazine card last May in New York’s Times Square. Romero eventually was elevated to the WBA’s lone titleholder when Jaron “Boots” Ennis vacated the belt late last year.
On that Times Square undercard, Haney easily outpointed former unified junior welterweight titlist Jose Luis Ramirez.
Now, speculation will turn to Haney potentially fighting a rematch with Garcia later this year. Garcia defeated Haney in the ring in April of 2024, knocking him down twice and getting a 12 round decision. However, that verdict was overturned to a no contest when Garcia tested positive in the pre and post fight drug tests for the PED Ostarine.
Garcia was suspended for a year by the New York Athletic Commission, but after being reinstated, won an easy decision over WBC champ Mario Barrios earlier this year.
Promoter Turki Alashikh of the Saudi Entertainment Authority bankrolled the 2024 fight and has been anxious to make a rematch between Haney and Garcia. So, now, there may be opportunity for that later this year.