Devin Haney has announced he is relinquishing his undisputed lightweight titles, as he prepares for a super-lightweight fight with WBC champion Regis Prograis.
Haney, 25, won the WBC lightweight title by outpointing Jorge Linares in 2021, before taking the remaining major belts from George Kambosos Jr in 2022. Haney beat the Australian via decision in Melbourne last June, before repeating the result four months later to retain the gold – also in Melbourne.
The unbeaten American then retained the titles with a narrow decision over former champion Vasiliy Lomachenko in May, before setting his sights on a new division. Haney will box compatriot Prograis, 34, in San Francisco on 9 December, as he bids to become a two-weight world champion.
But Haney will not enter San Francisco as a reigning champion, having told ESPN on Wednesday (29 November) that he is vacating his lightweight belts. “I did everything at 135[lbs] that I could,” he said. “The biggest fight for me was making that Gervonta Davis fight, and his side showed no interest in making the fight.
“I’ve outgrown the division, so now I make my quest to 140 to become a two-division champion. And after this fight, I look to become a three-division champion and move up to 147, God willing that I’m successful in this fight.
“I made history in becoming undisputed, and that was a milestone for me, but now I’m at the point in my career where I want to make the biggest and the best fights happening in the world. I’m a pay-per-view fighter.”
Haney has a professional record of 30-0 (15 knockouts), while Prograis’s pro record stands at 29-1 (24 KOs).
Prograis suffered the sole defeat of his pro career in 2019, when he lost a majority decision to Josh Taylor.
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