Search for an example that reflects the saying, “One man’s loss is another man’s gain,” and you need not look too far. The situation surrounding Devin Haney-Shakur-Stevenson-Keyshawn Davis amply justifies that. Chaos erupted after Davis, citing the nearly $3 million purse offered to him for the Haney fight, pulled out of the bout.

While his abrupt move shocked the boxing world, his close friend Shakur Stevenson smelled an opportunity. With Devin Haney now likely looking for a new opponent to defend his title against, Stevenson made a public pitch, openly calling the WBO welterweight champion for a fight.

“Yoooo @BillHaney77 @Realdevinhaney Let’s go I’m here still saying the same thing I been saying call my bluff now Nick and Dana is waiting we will do business with DAZN too #144 LETS SCRAP!!! #HIM 👑,” his X post read.

The confidence in Stevenson, who holds the WBO and Ring belts in the junior welterweight division, likely stems from his recent move to Dana White‘s Zuffa Boxing. The signing followed the biggest win of his career, one in which he outboxed Teofimo Lopez in January.

As the biggest star the new and aggressive boxing promotion has landed, Stevenson has naturally fueled speculation over whether White and his team will pivot from their previously held stance on working with rival promoters and sanctioning bodies.

Stevenson is not alone. Others who signed before him, including Conor Benn and Jai Opetaia, also harbor ambitions of collecting the WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF belts and becoming undisputed champions. Recent developments suggest Zuffa might be willing to show some flexibility.

That also explains why Stevenson zeroed in on Devin Haney after the Keyshawn Davis fiasco. Given how events have unfolded in the past few days, he likely felt the timing was right.

Both Stevenson and Haney have been talking about a fight for quite some time. On paper, with both champions holding a WBO belt, the fight can easily be made.

The impediment, however, remains the weight.

Three years after he moved to the lightweight division, where he became a WBC champion, Stevenson challenged Lopez. The victory at Madison Square Garden made him a four-division champion. Haney, meanwhile, moved through junior welterweight before making his welterweight debut last year, when he outpointed Brian Norman Jr.

Seven pounds still separate the two champions.

Shakur Stevenson wants the smoke, and he’s calling for Devin Haney

To overcome the obstacle, last month Stevenson made the first move, suggesting a fight at 144-pound catchweight. That came after Haney, who was already engaged in a back-and-forth with Keyshawn Davis, teased that their matchup could happen after Stevenson moved up to his weight class. “I’ll fight your brother Keyshawn for now,” Haney added.

The comment prompted Stevenson to suggest an alternate. “144 is fair for 2 champions in 2 separate weight classes. Floyd (Mayweather) and Canelo (Alvarez) made one of the biggest fights ever happen at a catch weight… If y’all seriously wanted the fight, it would be easy to make. Y’all fought Jose Ramirez at that weight 2 fights ago,” he wrote.

Now on the defensive, when Haney asked, “If I come to 144… We have a fight?” Stevenson promptly responded by saying, “Yes.”

However, Stevenson’s latest comments may excite fans, but they should still take them with a grain of salt.

The simple reason is that, in the same breath that he called out Haney, Stevenson also expressed interest in a fight with former super featherweight champion Lamont Roach Jr.

Coming off an unpleasant draw against Isaac Cruz, which had followed a similar stalemate against Gervonta Davis, Roach Jr. is lined up for the title fight against Stevenson’s former opponent, William Zepeda. The pair fight tonight at The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas for the vacant WBC lightweight belt.

Like Haney, Roach Jr. has also been a long-time target for Stevenson. With only a few hours remaining before Roach Jr. steps in against Zepeda, Stevenson wrote on X, “F–k it, Lamont, go to work so me and u can bang out for the best 135-pounder on da planet. 🔥”

Taken together, it is far too early to draw any firm conclusions about the Shakur Stevenson-Devon Haney fight.

With mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis now out of the picture, Haney has the option to pursue a voluntary title defense. Brian Norman Jr. sits second in the WBO welterweight rankings behind Davis. Since Haney has already beaten him, an immediate rematch appears unlikely, leaving Haney free to explore other options.

The pressure is now squarely on Shakur Stevenson. With Zuffa backing him, he will have to make good on his words about pursuing marquee matchups.