Roy Jones Jr Says No Catchweight for Stevenson vs Haney

Two undefeated American champions, a combined 58-0, and still no deal. Shakur Stevenson (25-0, 11 KO) and Devin Haney (33-0, 15 KO) have been circling a catchweight showdown at 144lbs, and boxing great Roy Jones Jr has made his position clear: if it isn't for a title, don't bother.

Speaking on the Hall of Game podcast, Jones argued the fight only makes sense at 140 or 147. Make Haney defend his WBO welterweight crown at 147, or make Stevenson defend his WBO super-lightweight belt at 140. A 144lb compromise, in his view, forces both men to meet in no-man's-land for nothing meaningful — and if that's the only version on the table, he says they should both just move on.

How We Got Here

Stevenson signed with Zuffa Boxing back in July, but he never actually fought under Dana White's banner. Talks with Haney appear to have been the breaking point, and Stevenson has since had his request for an immediate release approved. He walked away without throwing a punch for the promotion.

That leaves both fighters free agents of a sort, each without a scheduled bout and each wanting the same thing: recognition as the best pound-for-pound fighter the US has to offer. Neither is coming off a soft night, either. Stevenson outpointed Teofimo Lopez by unanimous decision, while Haney did the same to Brian Norman Jr.

The Weight Problem

Jones' math is hard to argue with. Haney would have to drain down from welterweight; Stevenson would have to climb up from 140. A seven-pound split the difference satisfies no one and sanctions nothing. The low combined KO count — 26 stoppages across 58 wins — tells you these are technicians, not sluggers, and a points fight for pride alone is a tough sell.

Stevenson, meanwhile, has founded his own promotional outfit. Whether he follows Haney's lead and lands on DAZN is the next domino. For now, the biggest all-American matchup in the lighter weights is stuck on a scale nobody can agree on.