Bill Haney sets terms for Boots fight as fans question motive

Bill Haney has set a clear condition for a future fight between Devin Haney and Jaron “Boots” Ennis, but the explanation has drawn immediate skepticism from fans who see it differently.

Haney was asked why Devin has mentioned a move to 154 pounds and called out Xander Zayas, yet has not pursued Ennis at that weight. His answer focused on belts and timing rather than names.

“He doesn’t have a belt at 154, and we were interested in fighting ‘Boots’ at 147 with the belt,” Bill said when asked about Ennis. “When he gets a belt at 154, then we’ll revisit the fight. But he’s on the list. That’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of when it’s going to happen, and what it’s going to happen for.”

That explanation sets a simple standard. At junior middleweight, Haney’s team is tying big fights to title stakes. Without a belt attached, the fight does not move.

The reaction online has gone the other way. Fans have questioned the stance, though Zayas holding titles at 154 matches, what Haney is asking for. In their view, the belt condition looks like an excuse not to make the fight.

Ennis, already established at 147, is widely seen as the more dangerous opponent. Moving the conversation to 154 while attaching a title requirement changes the terms of that matchup without ruling it out entirely.

Haney’s position leaves the door open. The fight with Ennis is still being discussed, just under different conditions than before. The response from fans shows that those conditions are not being accepted at face value. They believe that Bill is just looking for an excuse not to have Devin face ‘Boots,’ who wouldn’t be as befuddled by his movement and holding as his recent opponents.