History has delivered some of the greatest rematches the sport has ever seen. Whether it was Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán, or Evander Holyfield vs. Riddick Bowe, each rivalry captivated the public with unforgettable drama and spectacular in-ring action. While those classics belong to boxing’s golden era, the modern landscape has its own potential blockbuster—Ryan Garcia vs. Devin Haney.

The pair first clashed in April 2024, when Garcia, a significant underdog, shocked the world by dropping Haney three times on his way to a majority decision win. Although the victory was later overturned after Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, the buzz surrounding a possible rematch has only intensified. But if these two step into the ring again, who comes out on top? Former world champion Shawn Porter believes he has the answer.

Shawn Porter points out a crucial mistake made by Devin Haney

“I’m going to favor Devin in the rematch,” Porter told Fight Hub TV’s Marcos Villegas. “Again, I said when that fight ended, and this is before PED and all this other kind of stuff, I said in the rematch, Devin’s going to beat him. I know what I was looking at.” Porter believes Haney was thrown off by Garcia’s antics and trash talk in their first encounter, leading to a disastrous performance once fight night arrived.

“He made a mistake. He went into that ring. His opponent said, ‘Meet me in the center of the ring.’ And every single round you did what your opponent needed you to do, opposed to what you should have been doing,” Porter explained, highlighting what he saw as Haney abandoning his strengths. While Haney often faces criticism for his defensive style, it’s the very approach that has consistently earned him success.

“I’ve had some fights like that in my time,” Porter added during his interview with Villegas. “So, I knew what I was looking at. If this fight never happens, I still would think that Devin would win the rematch against Ryan Garcia.” Porter’s confidence has only grown after Haney’s recent dominant, unanimous decision win over Brian Norman Jr. “This fight, him looking the way he looked against Brian Norman Jr., makes that point even stronger,” Porter concluded. 

With Devin Haney now holding the WBO welterweight title and Ryan Garcia lined up to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, a victory for Garcia could set the stage for the long-awaited rematch late next year. The two were originally expected to run it back earlier this year, but Garcia’s shocking unanimous decision loss to Rolando Romero brought those plans to a halt. Now, however, Ryan Garcia seems adamant about repeating history. 

Ryan Garcia praises Haney and promises the same beating

Ryan Garcia didn’t hesitate to give Devin Haney his flowers after Haney dominated Brian Norman Jr. in Riyadh. Garcia had even bet $50,000 on Haney to win, and the former rival delivered with a knockdown and a unanimous decision victory that earned him the WBO welterweight title and the No. 1 spot in The Ring’s 147-pound rankings.

“That didn’t surprise me at all,” Garcia said. “Haney showed me what he usually is—a fast puncher, tricky shot selection, and ultimately knows how to stay out of range.” Garcia also felt Norman lacked composure, noting, “Norman lost all of his confidence… There was never any real threat after that.”

But praise quickly turned into a warning. Garcia insisted Haney still can’t beat him, declaring, “Devin just cannot beat me… I always beat that man.” He promised a rematch would bring “same treatment, same a— whooping, and same mentality.”

Ryan Garcia can make all the bold predictions he wants, but he will have to get past Mario Barrios first. If Devin Haney has intentions to make the fight, he will be watching Garcia’s next fight closely. But what do you think? Who would win in a rematch?