Haney claimed that he could beat unified lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko during an interview with 78SportsTV in April 2020. When asked if would “end the hype of Loma”, Haney said, “I’ll tell you this. I will never lose to a white boy in my life. I don’t care what nobody got to say. Fight a white boy 10 times, I’m going to beat him 10 times.” Haney was criticized for this comment, with many saying it was anti-white racism. Haney came out on Twitter after and said, “I’m not racist and I never will be a racist. I’m chasing greatness.” He also said he spoke with WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán and “confirmed to him directly my commitment to be a role model and my absolute rejection of discrimination of any kind.” Haney’s comments were compared to Bernard Hopkins’ declaration that he would “never let a white boy beat me” before his fight with Joe Calzaghe, which Hopkins lost.

In 2019, Haney became the youngest world champion in 23 years after being promoted from WBC interim to full champion status.

In April 2019, Haney signed a co-promotional deal between his own company, Devin Haney Promotions, and British promoter Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing. In September 2019, Haney defeated Zaur Abdulaev (11-0) for the WBC interim lightweight title, and later became the youngest world champion in boxing when he was elevated as the WBC lightweight champion after previous WBC lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko was promoted to “Franchise Champion” by the WBC. On the undercard of KSI vs. Logan Paul II in November 2019, Haney made his first title defense against Alfredo Santiago (12-0), and won by unanimous decision. He injured his shoulder during the fight, requiring surgery that would keep him out until the summer of 2020. He maintained the title “champion in recess.”

On February 2, 2018 Haney was scheduled to fight Filipino Harmonito Dela Torre in an eight-round opening bout. Dela Torre had problems obtaining a visa and subsequently withdrew from the fight. Unable to find an opponent, the date was scrapped.

As an amateur, Haney won seven National titles. In January 2015, aged 17, he became the youngest boxer to win the Youth World Championships in Reno. He had an amateur record of 138–8 bouts before turning professional in 2015 at the age of 17.

USA Youth National Championships Gold medalist in Reno 2015

US Junior National Championships Gold medalist in Reno 2014

USA Junior National Championships Silver medalist in Mobile 2013

World Junior Championships quarter-finalist in Kiev, Ukraine’2013

Devin Haney (born November 17, 1998) is an American professional boxer who has held the WBC lightweight title since 2019. As of November 2019, Haney is ranked as the world’s third-best active lightweight by The Ring magazine, fifth by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board and sixth by BoxRec.