Promoter Eddie Hearn says Devin Haney has lost his “love of the sport” due to what occurred with his fight against Ryan Garcia last year. Hearn states that Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) is just fighting for the money.
Haney’s 12-round majority decision loss to Ryan on April 20, 2024, changed his mindset, transforming him into the overly bold fighter we see now.
“Devin has changed. He’s fallen out of love of the sport of boxing because of what happened with Ryan Garcia and all the other bull s**** as well,” said Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn to Australian Boxing Central. “So, when Devin started, all he wanted to do was chase greatness. I don’t think he’s like that anymore.”
Hearn believes that the former two-division world champion Haney is jaded by what he experienced from his fight against Ryan. With Garcia testing positive for the PED Ostarine, and the fans turning on Devin for filing a lawsuit against him in the aftermath. Instead of fans empathizing with Haney, they’ve demonized him for his decision to sue, viewing it as a weakness.
Fighting for Money, Not Greatness
Hearn states that Devin and his father, Bill Haney, are now taking a reckless approach to selecting fights, choosing risky fighters in pursuit of the big paydays. He mentioned Teofimo Lopez and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as two examples of fighters that Haney recently attempted to fight. Now, he’s facing WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. on November 22nd at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hearn believes Devin could lose that fight.
From Hero to Villain
“I think it was a rough ride what happened in the Ryan Garcia fight. It isn’t just what happened to him. It was the people’s responses,” said Hearn about Devin. “He became the villain in a fight where he got bashed up by a guy who had performance-enhancing drugs in his system, and that should never have been that way,” said Hearn, giving his thoughts about the change in Haney.
It was jarring for Devin to experience the backlash against him, rather than Ryan, after the fans learned of Garcia’s positive PED test. Haney expected fans to sympathize with him. Instead, he had them public pecking at his heels, viewing him as the one in the wrong.
Haney’s Changed Mindset
“I think it made Devin fall out of love with the sport of boxing. And I think now a big part of Devin is fighting just for money, and that’s when it becomes dangerous because you’re not the same fighter,” said Hearn.
Haney’s choice of opponents is quite dangerous, given his performance against Ryan and his last fight against Jose Ramirez on May 2, 2025, at Times Square in New York. Taking on the unbeaten 24-year-old Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) is seen by some fans as foolhardy. Norman Jr. has looked dangerous lately, knocking out these fighters in his last three fights:
- Jin Sasaki: W-KO 5
- Derriek Cuevas: W-TKO 3
- Giovani Santillan: W-KO 10