After positive steps towards making a fight, Devin Haney and Shakur Stevenson are said to be moving on after their teams could not finalise terms behind the scenes.

The pair of elite world champions have been linked throughout 2026, but the match-up appeared off the table earlier in the year due to a dispute over the weight.

Stevenson, who has fought just once at super-lightweight, wanted to meet at a catchweight of 144lbs, and was even said to be demanding a 10lbs rehydration clause.

Team Haney at first remained firm on the welterweight limit of 147lbs, where he beat Brian Norman Jr. last November to become WBO world champion.

Earlier this month, the fighters appeared to have a breakthrough, publicly agreeing to 145lbs on social media. Fans got excited, and predictions began flooding in.

Today, Stevenson said that, despite the initial agreement, he received an email from Haney’s lawyer saying that they were now switching back to 147lbs. Haney hit back, saying Stevenson ‘went missing for days’ after they had agreed to 145lbs, and that his rival ‘did everything’ for the fight not to happen.

Whoever is at fault, the fight now seems dead in the water.

Boxing Scene‘s Lance Pugmire now reports that Haney will revisit a fight with IBF champion Liam Paro. The Australian won the belt from Lewis Crocker in June and has since called on all champions in the division – Haney, Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez – to unify. Bill Haney, father and trainer to Devin, previously announced that November 28 in Atlanta was the target for his son’s return.

Who Stevenson now targets remains unclear, though fans will begin to criticise the inactivity. He has not been in the ring since an impressive victory over Teofimo Lopez in January, a particularly frustrating period of inactivity due to a high-profile promotional deal with Zuffa Boxing announced in July.

In the wake of a proposed clash between Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney falling through, Tim Bradley believes one man, who he describes as the “biggest duck in boxing”, is solely responsible.

The two pound-for-pound stars were in talks to collide later this year, with November 28 and Atlanta having been suggested as the potential date and location, respectively.

According to Stevenson, however, negotiations reached an impasse at the “11th hour” due to Haney’s lawyer demanding that they fight at 147lbs.

This, if accurate, would have meant a refusal to meet at 145lbs, which both sides had seemingly decided was a sensible catchweight for their showdown.

But while Stevenson claims he was willing to jump up from 140lbs, the slick southpaw has accused Haney of going back on his promise to drop down from welterweight.

As a result, Hall of Famer Bradley has said on his YouTube channel that, in his mind, Devin and his father and trainer, Bill Haney, are to blame for the fight not happening.

“I’m gonna name you ‘Deebo Dev’ – the biggest duck in boxing. And all y’all thought it was Shakur Stevenson [avoiding Haney] all along.

“Bill [Haney]how you gonna get out of this one? What happened – you got cold feet? This man [Stevenson] gave up the weight; this man gave up some money.

“You got your lawyer involved. You said you wanted this fight – you agreed to 145[lbs] and all. Come on now – Shakur agreed to it as well. And now we can’t get the fight because you wanted it at 147[lbs]. Is that true, Bill?”

While Stevenson comes off a unanimous decision victory over Teofimo Lopez in January, Haney has not fought since dethroning Brian Norman Jr last November.

With 41 knockouts between them from 43 victories, few expect the contest to go the distance.

Wardley, sporting Ipswich Town’s newly-launched third kit with his name printed on the sleeve, was still bearing the scars of his punishing defeat in Manchester five months ago.

A cut across the bridge of his nose, first sustained during his 2024 draw with Frazer Clarke, reopened against Dubois and left his face badly swollen and bloodied.

The punishment he absorbed has raised questions over whether his decision to take an immediate rematch has come too soon but Wardley remains confident he can reverse the result.

“It’s simply seek and destroy now,” he said.

Promoter Frank Warren is predicting a “blockbuster” 2027 for the heavyweight division, with lucrative fights awaiting Saturday’s winner.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will finally meet in Cardiff on 11 December, while British prospect Itauma is set to return in January following his world-title defeat by Hrgovic.

Warren confirmed there is no clause for a third fight between Dubois and Wardley but the Queensberry Promotions boss refused to rule out a trilogy if the Ipswich fighter avenges the only defeat on his record.

“If that happens it’s a natural fight,” Warren said. “That’s what’s so intriguing about this. Who will they fight next year? We want to find out who is the best.”