“I love Keyshawn. I think he’s hard to beat. When he’s on point, no one can beat him,” Mora said to Fighthype. “Devin Haney has a better resume. Devin Haney, every time I think that he’s going to come up short, he surprises me. What he did with Brian Norman was incredible. I would have to edge out Haney because of that, because of the resume, because he keeps proving people wrong, because of that jab, because Davis is inconsistent. He can be red hot or he can be cold, but when he’s red hot, he’s pound for pound.”

While Mora offered his prediction, it’s unclear whether Haney and Keyshawn will ever share the ring.

The WBO has ordered Haney to defend his title against Keyshawn, but the bout still must be negotiated. A sanctioning body order does not guarantee a fight will happen, particularly when financial terms have yet to be discussed.

Bill Haney has spent the past week publicly pursuing bigger-money fights against Gervonta Davis and Shakur Stevenson, suggesting those remain the preferred options if they can be made. If neither materializes, Keyshawn could become the fallback choice, but even then, there is no assurance an agreement will be reached.

Haney’s proposed fight against Rolly Romero serves as a recent reminder that negotiations can collapse even when a matchup appears close. If the economics don’t work for both camps, the Keyshawn fight could suffer the same fate.

Mora’s prediction remains just that, a prediction on a fight that may never move beyond the negotiating table.

While both fighters remain recognizable names, the announcement has already prompted criticism over how the title fight came together.

Lopez (22-2, 13 KOs) is moving up to welterweight after losing his WBO junior welterweight title in a one-sided unanimous decision defeat to Shakur Stevenson in January. Rather than facing a contender in his new division, the former unified lightweight champion will go straight into a world title fight with the opportunity to become a three-division champion.

Romero (17-2, 13 KOs), meanwhile, will be making his first defense roughly 15 months after upsetting Ryan Garcia to win the WBA welterweight title. During that span, he was linked to potential fights with Manny Pacquiao and Devin Haney, but neither materialized.

Some fans have questioned why Romero was allowed to hold the title for so long without making a mandatory defense, while others have argued Lopez should have been required to earn his opportunity by defeating a leading welterweight contender before challenging for a world championship.

One name frequently mentioned is WBA No. 1-ranked Raul Curiel, who many believe should have been next in line for a title opportunity or, at minimum, the type of opponent Lopez should have had to beat before receiving a shot at Romero’s belt.

Despite the debate surrounding the matchmaking, the August 22 clash brings together two of boxing’s most recognizable personalities in a fight that could have major implications for the welterweight division. An official launch press conference is scheduled for July 9 in Los Angeles.

“It’s lofty praise, of course,” Mannix said on his channel, reacting to Bob Arum’s comment about Mason being the next Sugar Ray Leonard. “I think it’s very premature. Sugar Ray was an Olympic gold medalist before doing all the things he did in the pros. Abdullah Mason was a good fighter in the amateurs. Didn’t have anywhere near the accolades.”

Mannix pointed to Mason’s tendency to lean in on his punches and leave himself open for counters, saying those habits would prove costly against elite opposition.

“The mistakes Abdullah Mason makes, they’re going to cost him against a good counter puncher,” Mannix said. “There’s so much he’s got to clean up before we can start talking about him on that kind of level.”

Mannix’s caution is understandable.

Although Mason showed tremendous resolve by rallying to stop Bell, he also spent much of the fight getting outboxed by a replacement opponent. Mannix said Bell deserved five of the first six rounds and criticized the judges who had the fight even after six.

The Bell fight wasn’t the first time Mason has shown vulnerabilities. He was dropped twice by Yohan Vasquez before scoring a stoppage victory, had difficult moments against Sam Noakes, and again had to rely on his power and determination to turn the tide against Bell.

Those are not the type of performances that drew comparisons to Leonard early in his career.

Leonard looked like a future superstar almost from the moment he turned professional. While he was still facing developmental opposition at the same age, he consistently dominated rounds with his speed, footwork, defense and ring IQ. Mason has shown championship heart and legitimate punching power, but he has also displayed defensive lapses that elite lightweights are likely to exploit.

Mason has plenty of time to improve at just 22 years old. But based on what he has shown so far, Mannix’s advice to slow down the Sugar Ray Leonard comparisons appears well founded.