In an interview with the Pivot Podcast, undisputed lightweight boxing champion Devin Haney claimed that Floyd Mayweather Jr. "messed up" the sport by retiring with a perfect 50-0 win-loss record, causing fighters today to avoid taking the risk of fighting each other to keep their immaculate record.
.@RealDevinHaney wants boxers to learn from MMA fighters and stop worrying about being undefeated 🤔 #HaneyLoma pic.twitter.com/8xSCV6mMKQ
— ESPN Ringside (@ESPNRingside) May 18, 2023
"Floyd [Mayweather] kinda messed up the game with the undefeated record, and undefeated is everything, so guys don't wanna fight each other. They wanna keep their 0," Haney said on the podcast.
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Devin Haney Praises UFC Fighter Israel Adesanya
The 24-year-old boxing star also offered his praise to mixed martial arts fighters, stating that they are not afraid to fight the best of the best and risk getting a loss.
"In UFC, those guys fight each other, lose, fight again [and] are still equally as big, maybe even be bigger after a loss," the boxer declared.
Haney particularly mentioned UFC star Israel Adensanya as an example, who, despite losing twice for the past two years, has retained his status as one of the biggest draws for the mixed martial arts promotion.
Haney, who holds the lightweight titles of WBC, WBO, IBF, and The Ring, has an undefeated 29-0 record himself.
He became undisputed champion last June after outclassing George Kambosos Jr. in a unanimous decision victory in his home country Australia. Haney retained his lightweight undisputed champion status in their rematch in October.
Haney is set to defend his titles against Ukrainian Vasiliy Lomachenko at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 20.
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