Devin Haney vs. Javier Fortuna - TBA

[Ruthless-RKO]

Boxing Scene has been advised that WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) has been order to make a mandatory defense against Javier Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs).

If there is no agreement reached between the two sides, then a purse bid will take place on December 13 in Mexico City.

Haney made his first defense last Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles, when he dominated unbeaten Alfredo Santiago over twelve rounds on the KSI-Paul Logan undercard.

As holder of the interim-belt, Haney was in line to fight the WBC's full champion, Vasiliy Lomachaneko.

Haney was automatically elevated to full champion when the sanctioning body made Lomachenko their "franchise" champion at lightweight. The franchise champion has no mandatory obligations and more importantly is unable to lose the "franchise" status if defeated.

Because he was elevated to full status without a fight, Haney is obliged to make two mandatory defenses. Fortuna is the first.
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Fortuna is a former WBA super featherweight champion. He lost the title by way of an upset knockout at the hands of Jason Sosa in June of 2016. Fortuna was ahead in the fight when he seemed to fade in the second half and was stopped in the eleventh.

Since that loss, he won six of his last seven fights. His other defeat was by way of a controversial twelve round split decision loss to Robert Easter in January 2018. There was also four round no-contest with Adrian Granados at junior welterweight in June of 2018, when Fortuna fell out of the ring and suffered an injury.

Fortuna became the WBC's mandatory challenger on November 2, when he blew away Jesus Cuellar in two rounds of a final eliminator.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Pretty solid fight if you ask me. Fortuna aint no slouch..

[Woldemar]

Fortuna a good test for Haney.

[Cent0089]

Very good fight. If he can handle Fortuna, he is legitimate oponent for Lomachenko or Davis (well he is legitimate now in terms of skills, but he has not beaten anyone solid, so this win can open door for a big fight)

[Rgoodwin]

Haney on points in a tough fight

[Best Coast]

Very good fight. If he can handle Fortuna, he is legitimate oponent for Lomachenko or Davis (well he is legitimate now in terms of skills, but he has not beaten anyone solid, so this win can open door for a big fight)

Agreed!! Not only is Fortuna the toughest test yet for Haney, but this a definitely a winnable fight for Fortuna.

[RonnyJ]

First real Test.

Haney to sharp, laser punches, good def.. He is the real deal. P4p top 10 early 2021

[Szaman]

You are overrating Fortuna - hes bang average. Devin 'the great black hope' Haney needs to step up after this. Really hope he doesn't go down the Gervonta Davis/Andrade/Charlis cherry picking route.

[Best Coast]

You are overrating Fortuna - hes bang average. Devin 'the great black hope' Haney needs to step up after this. Really hope he doesn't go down the Gervonta Davis/Andrade/Charlis cherry picking route.

Beg to differ. Fortuna is a legit top 10 worldwide fighter at 135 & was a world champ at 130. His last 2 bouts were nice wins over ex-world title challengers Cuellar & Bogere. Many of those who saw Javier's controversial 2018 decision loss to then-IBF world champ Robert Easter think Fortuna won Easter's title that night!

This is by far Haney's toughest test & may even turn out to be a pick 'em fight. Clearly a winnable match for the Dominican and some think Haney's camp is moving him a little too fast. The talent gap between Fortuna & previous Haney victims Santiago/Abdullaev/Moran could prove to be just a little too much for Devin.

[margaret thatcher]

It's a good match and I thought Fortuna beat Easter. Though Cuellar is shot and small and hasn't beat a notable fighter in years, that win means nothing.

[Best Coast]

Not a major win but Fortuna blew out Cuellar just as quickly as Tank Davis did last year. Fortuna will give Haney all he can handle, given the limited opposition he's faced so far.

[margaret thatcher]

Cuellar is just undersized fodder now, a round or two means nothing and he hasn't beat a half decent opponent in 4 years and that was at 126. It's a good matchup though.

[chuck9788]

This is a serious opponent. That's all I'll say.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Possible for Bay Area in March
By Tim Royner

Eddie Hearn has made an offer to Javier Fortuna’s team for him to come to the Bay Area in Northern California to challenge WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) in late March.

Hearn wants Haney to take a few months off to rest before he brings him back to fight in front of his hometown boxing fans in the Bay Area. Haney was originally from Oakland, California near San Francisco. Although Haney now lives in Las Vegas, he’s got a lot of fans in the Bay Area. Former two division world champion Andre ‘SOG’ Ward is also from Oakland.

Oracle Center likely an option

A great venue for the Haney vs. Fortuna fight would be at the Oracle Center in Oakland. There’s a lot of different places for that fight to be stayed in that area. There’s the Cow Palace in Daly City, which is right next door to San Francisco and Oakland. That would be an interesting option for Haney’s next fight. They do a lot of concerts at that venue.

Hearn blames Haney’s less than stellar performance last Saturday night against Alfredo Santiago on him being too busy with his career. The 20-year-old Haney fought four times in 2019, which is twice the amount most elite level fighters do. This year, Haney has beaten the following fighters:

Xolisani Ndongeni
Antonio Moran
Zaur Abdullaev
Alfredo Santiago

It’s easier for a younger fighter like Haney to get away with being incredibly active compared to a guy in his 30s.

“I’d like to take Devin to the Bay Area for the end of March,” said Hearn about Haney’s next fight against Javier Fortuna.

Hearn wants overworked Haney to rest

[Ruthless-RKO]

As we know. This fight aint happening.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Promoter: Fortuna Ready To Fight Haney For TItle, Pretty Sure Ryan Garcia Has Other Plans

Javier Fortuna doesn’t intend to allow any more time than necessary to pass by in waiting out his overdue title shot.

The former secondary 130-pound titlist is one of two mandatory challengers in waiting for WBC lightweight titlist Devin Haney. Ryan Garcia (21-0, 18KOs) raced to the head of the line, following a 7th round knockout of England’s Luke Campbell in a star-making performance on Jan. 2nd in Dallas, Texas.

In the coming days, the WBC is expected to formally order the title fight, requiring both Haney (25-0, 15KOs) and Garcia to accept the invitation and from there enter a 30-day free negotiations period.

Fortuna’s side is banking on Haney still being in need of an opponent when all is said and done. The belief has prompted his team to file a formal request with the sanctioning body to ensure Fortuna’s name is called by the time the next title fight is due to be ordered.

“We petitioned to the WBC to get his shot versus Devin Haney. Now we are waiting for the answer,” Sampson Lewkowicz, Fortuna’s promoter informed Boxing Scene. “At the end of the day, I’m pretty sure that Ryan Garcia has other plans and Javier Fortuna is ready to fight for the title right now.

“For now, we have to wait.”

Fortuna was first named as the mandatory challenger in Nov. 2019, shortly after his 2nd round knockout of Jesus Cuellar in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The win came one week prior to Haney’s first title defense after being upgraded from interim to World champion, scoring a 12-round decision win over Alfredo Santiago.

The victory came at a cost, as Haney was forced to undergo shoulder surgery which would require a six-month recovery period. The injury status left Haney unable to honor his mandatory obligations at the time versus Fortuna, resulting in the title being declared vacant and the unbeaten Las Vegas-based lightweight named “Champion in Recess.”

Fortuna was due to face Campbell for the vacant title last April in Oxon Hill, only for the bout to be canceled due to the initial wave of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The global health crisis caused the title to remain vacant by the time Haney was medically cleared to return to action, just the loophole he needed in order to successfully argue a case for reinstatement of his title reign.

The WBC then ordered two bouts to determine the new pecking order for who would next fight for the title. Garcia was ordered to face Campbell for the interim title, while Fortuna was set to face former three-division titlist Jorge Linares last August. The bout was canceled after Linares tested positive for COVID-19, with Fortuna resurfacing later in the year in a 6th round knockout of Antonio Lozada last November in Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Garcia advanced to the top spot with his thrilling win over Campbell, enhancing his rising star status in the process. The win came in front of more than 6,000 socially distanced fans at American Airlines Center in Dallas, with the belief that his first career title fight could draw an even bigger crowd. That’s the part where Fortuna’s team wonders if it’s worth the risk for Garcia to proceed, knowing money will be left on the table given current restrictions.

“I believe it would be the most stupid thing on Earth to have that fight without a full stadium,” Lewkowicz notes. “That fight would sell out any arena. I believe that it would be stupid to do that fight right now.

“Devin was supposed to take the fight with Javier Fortuna last year. Now he has a chance to do so again, while Ryan Garcia can fight anyone else he wants. It would be a good test for Devin. It would be the toughest fight. It’s a good step up for him and if he wins, he would have more power to bargain with Ryan Garcia.

“Of course, we believe Javier will win the fight. But we give all of the respect to Devin as the champion. We hope he and the WBC do the right thing. Javier has waited more than a year for his world title shot.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fortuna vs. Campbell last year would have been decent,

Garcia has the single best win from his and Haney's resume.

WBC are raking it is $$$$

Are WBC going to order Haney-Garcia or Haney-Frotuna.