Devin Haney made his debut at welterweight in spectacular fashion last Saturday night. After knocking out Brian Norman Jr. in a fight many thought was 50/50, ‘The Dream’ became the new WBO welterweight champion. Now, of course, the discussion has shifted to who the 27-year-old will fight next. While Ryan Garcia remains an option, thanks to their rivalry and highly controversial first fight, another name has emerged—Conor Benn. 

Benn was ringside for Saturday night’s fight and wasted no time taking shots at Haney, teaming up with his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to criticize the champion’s performance. Despite Haney’s win, both Benn and Hearn claimed he failed to engage like against Jose Ramirez in May. Haney fired back in his post-fight interview, dismissing any talk of a matchup and labeling Benn ‘Eddie Hearn’s puppet.’ ‘The Dream’ has since doubled down on that stance in a recent interview.

X lights up thanks to Devin Haney and Conor Benn

“He’s Eddie’s little puppet,” Haney told Ariel Helwani on The AH Show. “Eddie is his master. He does what Eddie wants him to do. Conor Benn hasn’t accomplished anywhere near what I’ve accomplished… and I’m younger than Conor Benn. He hasn’t done anything in the sport of boxing.” Devin Haney also took aim at Benn’s last outing against Chris Eubank Jr., insisting the Brit only won because Eubank Jr. was weight-drained.

Interestingly, Eubank Jr. had beaten Benn in their first fight despite also being weight-drained. Still, Haney’s comments spread quickly on X, catching Benn’s attention. And he responded sharply. “Devin Haney, you little m—e, are you still suing Ryan for battery 😂 ? Come see me soon, and you’ll actually be involved in an exciting fight. We know where you practiced all that hugging,” he wrote, alongside a photoshopped image of Haney with disgraced rapper P. Diddy.

Haney has previously been seen attending Diddy’s parties, and after the allegations and lawsuit against the rapper, fans have openly questioned the boxer’s association with him. Haney didn’t hold back with a reply. “U the same b—h a— n—a that tried to come & say wassup & shake my hand last night. Then get on twitter talking tough that’s why I ain’t shake your hand cause I know u really a b—h that’s why u tucked your tail & walked away.. u wanna argue on the internet for clout.”

That sparked another fiery response from Conor Benn, who challenged Haney to meet him without security. “You was with all your security you little f—y come try and step to me anywhere and I’ll iron you out there and then,” Benn fired back on X. Despite the fiery back-and-forth, there’s still no indication the two will meet in the ring anytime soon—even with Benn insisting he’s willing to come down to welterweight.

Even from a career standpoint, Haney should focus on challenging other title holders in the division. When Ryan Garcia is done with Mario Barrios next year, potentially winning the fight and the WBC welterweight belt, Haney-Garcia can be matched for an epic rematch. Other than that, Rolando Romero and Lewis Crocker are also available if Haney has any desire to become a two-division undisputed champion. 

Regardless, Benn isn’t the only one threatening to beat up Devin Haney. 

Ryan Garcia promises a severe beating if the rematch happens

Ryan Garcia has doubled down on his belief that Devin Haney cannot beat him, vowing an even harsher outcome if their long-awaited rematch takes place. After betting $50,000 on Haney to defeat Brian Norman Jr., Garcia broke down the performance and reiterated his dominance over his rival.

“That didn’t surprise me at all,” Garcia said, praising Haney’s rebound while criticizing Norman’s game plan. But when the talk shifted to a second fight with Haney, Garcia’s tone sharpened. “Devin just cannot beat me. No matter what you do, how you set it up, I always beat that man. I know him better than he knows himself.”

He dismissed the lingering narrative around his April 2024 no-contest, insisting, “I didn’t cheat! … Anybody who looks into it knows that I had no actual advantage.” Making his intentions crystal clear, Garcia warned, “I will give them a reality check once again… same treatment, same a— whooping, and same mentality.”

Things appear to be shaping up quite nicely for Devin Haney. From being criticized for slow and boring performance, he now has fighters lining up to face him. It would be interesting to see what’s on the cards for ‘The Dream.’ What did you make of Benn and Haney’s exchange?