Robert Garcia Backs Devin Haney as Shakur Stevenson's Biggest Threat

Two unbeaten Americans, one of them a four-weight world champion, and a trainer who's seen enough to know the difference. Robert Garcia says if anyone's beating Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KO), it's Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KO) — and he's leaning on the tale of the tape to make that call.

The fight itself is reportedly close to done. Per Bill Haney, speaking on behalf of his son, the two camps have agreed to a 145lb catchweight with no rehydration clause, with the pair set to meet in Atlanta on November 28. That's a notable concession at the scale and a clue as to how seriously both sides are treating the weight question.

How We Got Here

This matchup didn't appear out of nowhere, but it did beat out a crowded field. Stevenson was first linked to a Manny Pacquiao bout on the Tyson Fury–Anthony Joshua undercard in Cardiff on December 11 — a plan that drew heavy criticism before fizzling out. A super-lightweight unification against WBA titlist Gary Antuanne Russell (19-1, 17 KO) came next, but weeks of talks appear to have steered Stevenson toward Haney instead.

Garcia's reasoning is straightforward. He favours Haney's physical edge — the reach, the frame, the hand speed — and thinks the WBO welterweight champ can genuinely outbox Stevenson. But he's quick to hedge: Shakur's talent is the kind that can erase a 20-pound gap, Garcia said, and picking this one is genuinely hard.

What the Numbers Say

The size argument holds up on paper. Haney has campaigned up at welterweight and last fought in November 2025, dethroning Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO belt via unanimous decision. Stevenson, meanwhile, has built his résumé at the lighter weights and is coming off a points win over Teofimo Lopez in January. Neither man is a big puncher by numbers — Haney's 15 KOs and Stevenson's 11 reflect two of the sport's most technical operators, not finishers.

There's business riding on this too. The bout would reportedly mark Stevenson's debut under Dana White's Zuffa Boxing, while Haney is said to be tied to an exclusive DAZN deal. Sorting out that promotional overlap is often the last hurdle, and until the ink's dry, treat the November 28 date as a target rather than a lock.