Haney Fight Rumor Was Fake, Says Shakur Stevenson

Shakur says his team has heard nothing as reports of negotiations are rejected

Shakur Stevenson has denied any talks to fight Devin Haney, calling recent reports “cap” and saying his team has received no contact. The response shuts down speculation of a deal as no formal negotiations appear to be in place.

Posting on X, Stevenson called the story “cap” and said it was the second time the same rumor had been circulated. He added that he did not know what people were trying to “cover up or disguise.”

That response came after fresh buzz tied him to Haney in supposed early talks. Stevenson did not hedge. He rejected the story outright.

There is often a wide gap between “preliminary talks” and actual negotiations. Networks and promoters frequently run numbers and discuss feasibility internally. If Shakur’s direct team hasn’t received a formal offer sheet or a phone call, his claim that they’ve “heard nothing” could be technically true, even if the higher-ups are brainstorming the matchup.

“I know fans like to get excited, and they could play with y’all heads and manipulate y’all easily, but that rumor is cap for the 2nd time. I haven’t heard one word about that. Idk what they tryna cover up or disguise but for me and my team we haven’t heard s***,” said Shakur Stevenson on X.

It puts the fans in a tough spot. On the one hand, you have a reputable reporting outlet claiming movement, but on the other hand, you have the actual fighter calling it a fabrication. Usually, when a fighter is this vocal about a rumor being a disguise or a cover-up, it means there’s another deal in the works that they don’t want overshadowed.

Taking a fight against a defensive wizard like Shakur right when the Ryan Garcia “payday and redemption” arc is finally back on track is a massive, unnecessary risk.

The timeline for that Garcia rematch is already taking shape for September 5, 2026, at Allegiant Stadium. Since Ryan picked up the WBC welterweight title by beating Mario Barrios back in February, that September date is now a high-value unification fight.

Haney has spent two years trying to erase the memory of the 2024 loss to Ryan. Risking a loss to Shakur in the summer would completely derail the massive gate and PPV numbers expected for September.

Shakur has been adamant about not moving to 147. He’s already made it clear that anyone at welterweight has to meet him in the middle. For Haney, who is already a large welterweight, draining back down to a catchweight right before the biggest fight of his career makes zero physical sense.

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