Matchroom wouldn’t be in the position it finds itself in today, as the lead global promotional outfit in boxing, if it weren’t for Devin Haney.
That’s according to the fighter’s father-manager, Bill Haney, who took umbrage to Eddie Hearn’s recent comments about Haney.
It all started when Hearn gave an interview this week to iFL TV and said he’s no longer able to work or promote Haney because the money isn’t right, that they don’t want to overpay on fights anymore, and that the talent in their roster is already strong.
Well, perhaps channeling Oscar de la Hoya’s ‘Clapback Thursday,’ on a Friday, Bill didn’t let that one slide.
“Matchroom wasn’t No.1 when we signed,” he said in a tweet on X. “Now you are. Growth like that comes from the right partnerships.”
“We stood with you when it mattered but loyalty was never reciprocated.”
— Bill Haney on Eddie Hearn
Haney and Matchroom worked with one another over a fight-fight period from 2021 to 2022, including bouts against Jorge Linares, Jo Jo Diaz Jr., George Kambosos Jr. (twice), and Vasiliy Lomachenko, with Devin banking a probable eight-figure combined purse plus upside from pay-per-view and foreign markets money.
Haney, the WBO welterweight champion, has no confirmed opponent as of yet but was previously linked with a unification match against fellow US-based fighter Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. Other possible opponents include Ryan Garcia, Shakur Stevenson, or Richardson Hitchins.
Haney won the WBO belt for beating Brian Norman Jr. with a lopisded decision win in November, 2025.
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Alan Dawson is Boxing Social’s editor.
He is also a columnist for Uncrowned at Yahoo Sports, and the founder-moderator of Boxing Twitter — a 20,000-strong community on X.
A 17-year sports media veteran, Alan has enjoyed extensive stints at Business Insider as a correspondent, BT Sport as digital editor, and Give Me Sport as combat sports editor.
He is a 2-time Sports Journalist of the Year finalist and has been honored six times by the Boxing Writers Association of America.
Alan grew up near London but is based in Nevada with his young family. Outside boxing he plays 8-handicap golf, hikes, and rides his ebike through the Sierra mountain trails.
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