Devin Haney Reinstated As WBC Lightweight Champion

Devin Haney has been reinstated as the WBC lightweight champion meaning Luke Campbell and Javier Fortuna will fight for the interim title.

Haney was named champion in recess by the governing body back in December 2019. The 21-year-old champion suffered a shoulder injury during his first title defence against Alfredo Santiago in November. The injury was set to see Haney unable to fight for up to six months.

British Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell was ordered to Javier Fortuna for the vacant lightweight title. However, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, their fight scheduled for April 14 was cancelled. Mandatory challenger Fortuna and Campbell will now square off for the interim title before the winner unifies the belts against Haney, provided he comes through a voluntary defence.

Announcing the news yesterday the WBC said. “Pursuant to, and consistent with, the governing WBC Rules & Regulations, and after carefully considering the positions of all the boxers involved and the special circumstances which the present global health crisis has created, the WBC Board of Governors conducted a vote which resulted in the following ruling:

1.) Reinstate Devin Haney as WBC World Lightweight Champion;

2.) Grant Champion Haney a voluntary defense of that Championship;

3.) Sanction the Javier Fortuna vs. Luke Campbell bout to be for the WBC Interim World Lightweight Championship and Mandatory Challenger of the division; and

4.) Order the winner of Champion Haney’s voluntary defense to fight the winner of the Fortuna vs. Campbell bout immediately after that voluntary defense takes place without any intervening bout.”

Haney reacted to the news of his reinstatement as WBC champion in an interview with Ring TV, he said.

“It was good to see and I feel good about it,” Haney said. “I think Mauricio and the WBC made the right decision. At the end of the day, I didn’t get hurt doing anything outside of the ring that I shouldn’t have been doing. I suffered the injury during a bout, so I never thought I should have been stripped.

“But this worked out in my favor. I can’t say enough good things about Mauricio Sulaiman. I knew Mauricio since my amateur days and I always dreamed of being the WBC champ. I have it again and I can’t wait to defend it. I think getting a big fight is going to happen, because there are some tough guys out there at lightweight that want this title.”

Is the WBC right to reinstate Devin Haney as lightweight champion?