Haney Has 'Levels To Go'

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When Devin Haney steps into the ring, what fans see is only a fraction of his true capability. That’s the electrifying assessment from longtime mentor and former world champion Mickey Bey, who suggests Haney is operating on an entirely different level than what he’s shown publicly. Using a powerful analogy, Bey compared Haney to a master mechanic. “If they only need a screwdriver, they won't use a screwdriver,” Bey explained. “But in the gym, you see the screwdriver, you see the wrench, you see the ratchet set, you see the hammer.”

This deep arsenal was on Bey’s mind following Haney’s welterweight debut against Brian Norman Jr. While some saw a competitive fight, Bey saw a calculated performance from a fighter who was finally comfortable. No longer drained from cutting to 135 pounds, Haney is now fighting near his natural weight—the same weight he used to carry into the ring as a lightweight. The result? More power, more energy, and a performance that had Bey telling everyone to “bet the house” on his fighter. “He got way levels to go,” Bey promised. “Believe me, this next fight, man, it's going to be ugly.”

The 144-Pound 'What If'

The fight on every boxing purist’s mind is Devin Haney vs. Shakur Stevenson. For a fleeting moment, it seemed closer than ever when a catchweight of 144 pounds was floated. According to Bey, Haney didn't hesitate. “I know Dev was willing to take it,” he confirmed, citing Haney’s fierce competitive spirit as the driving force. “Dad’s so competitive, man, that he'd be willing to take stuff that it might not even make sense.”

The fight ultimately didn't materialize, with a mandatory challenger getting in the way, but the revelation confirms Haney’s willingness to meet his rival under unique circumstances. The 144-pound offer was a strategic middle ground between Stevenson at 140 and Haney at 147. While Bey isn't sure of the exact reason it fell apart, he’s clear on one thing: Team Haney was ready to sign on the dotted line for a legacy-defining clash.

A Collision for Pound-for-Pound Supremacy

While the 144-pound fight is off the table for now, Bey believes a showdown between the two young stars is inevitable. He sees it happening within the next two to three years, likely at the full welterweight limit of 147 pounds. “The fight is going to be too big to where it's going to have to happen one day,” he stated. And when it does, the stakes couldn't be higher.

In Bey’s eyes, this isn’t just another big fight; it’s a battle for the soul of the sport. He advocates for the pound-for-pound number one spot to be declared vacant, with the winner of Haney vs. Stevenson ascending to the throne. “Whoever flat out wins that fight… flat out number one,” Bey declared. “The winner of this fight going number one. I think it could be one of them type of situations.” It’s a matchup of two fighters in their prime, both with unshakeable belief in their own supremacy.

The Mayweather System: Adapting to Win

What makes the potential fight so fascinating is the stylistic contrast. The interviewer perfectly described Shakur as a consistent force: “one dribble pull up, right? Every time down, you can't stop it.” Haney, however, is a chameleon. We’ve seen him walk down Vasiliy Lomachenko, brawl in the pocket with Jorge Linares, and dissect Regis Prograis with a piston-like jab. This versatility, Bey explains, is by design. “That's where that whole what I learned from Senior, what what Devin learned from Floyd Senior, that's the whole Mayweather system,” he revealed. “Just knowing how to fight all kind of different ways when it's needed. That's the whole key to what we do.”

This adaptability gives Team Haney supreme confidence against any opponent, be it Shakur, Liam Parro, or Jack Catterall. They don’t need to hyper-focus on one game plan because Haney is already prepared for anything. “Whatever style that it is, we going to deal with it,” Bey said with calm certainty. As the boxing world waits, Mickey Bey is content knowing that whenever the call comes, Devin Haney will have the right tool for the job.