“I had to bid myself” | Relief

An auction was held on Tuesday organization of the fight for the WBC world super lightweight title between champion Devin Haney (31-1, 15 KOs) and challenger Sandor Martin (42-3, 15 KOs). The teams had several weeks to negotiate, but they did not come to an agreement, so the procedure was simple: the fight was organized (set a date and place convenient for them) by the one who put the most money on the table.

Highest Ratingthe company that would manage Sandor’s US career (its main promoter is Italy’s Opi With 82) was the only party to show up. The Americans won with $2,420,000.. Thus, it is they who will determine the day and city of the battle. After the auction amount became known to journalist Mike Coppinger (ESPN), Devin Haney expressed his dissatisfaction on social network X: “I had to place the bet myselfA few minutes later, he posted another tweet reminding him that “he had all the belts” (he was in the lung). Finally, he also used this platform to respond to a fan who criticized him.

It’s clear that the champion doesn’t like what happened, but at this point he only has two options. At this point, the obvious option is to fight, but the other is not. If he decided he wasn’t interested in the fight, he would be stripped of his belt. Martin has retired three times already (Haney vs. Prograis and Haney vs. Garcia) and won’t do it a third time. Moreover, if the auction has already been held, if one of the parties refuses for an unjustified reason (injury), sanctions will be applied to it by the relevant authority.

The statements and money on the table raise doubts about whether Haney will leave the belt vacant.. In his latest lawsuit, the American, according to various estimates, pocketed about ten million dollars. In this case, the champion will receive about one and a half million dollars, since according to WBC regulations, at the auction the money is divided into three parts. At the beginning, agency commissions are removed. Of the remaining amount, 10% is kept for the winner and of the remaining 90%, 70% is distributed to the champion and 30% to the candidate. Of course, taxes will have to be removed from this million and a half and some of his equipment will have to be taken away. The accounts don’t seem very juicy to him.

Eddie Hearn, the promoter with whom he is doing business for his latest fights, announced last Saturday that I would welcome a fight between Haney and Liam Paro, who won the IBF Super Lightweight Championship on the same day.. The fight will cost the American the WBC belt he holds thanks to the title not being on the line in his last fight as Ryan Garcia made weight. The suit, the only loss of his career, may be invalidated due to Garcia’s positive drug test.

If Haney were to be dispossessed, there are questions about what would happen. The WBC announced the WBC super lightweight title in the preliminary bout of Gervonta Davis vs. Frank Martin last Saturday. Alberto Puello won it and should become the undisputed champion with an obligation to fight Martin. Another option is that a third name will be given for the Sandor fight and the winner will be against Puello. A new auction must occur in either of the two variables. For now, the Spaniard is focused on his work. In an Instagram post, he thanked his Top Rank/Opi team for winning the auction and stated that “this is the fight of his life.” “I will not fail.”