Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney Reportedly Agree to April 20 Welterweight Title Fight

Adam WellsFebruary 9, 2024

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Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney are going to square off for the junior welterweight championship.

Garcia and Haney have agreed to terms for an April 20 fight in Las Vegas. ESPN’s Mike Coppinger first reported the agreement.

Boxing on TNT Sports @boxingontntDevin Haney. Ryan Garcia. 🥊

WBC super-lightweight world title 🏆

📍 Las Vegas 🗓️ April 20th#HaneyGarcia #Boxing pic.twitter.com/YLwv7WcgW6

This will mark the first defense of the 140-pound title for Haney (31-0) after he won it from Regis Prograis by unanimous decision on Dec. 9.

The bout with Prograis was Haney’s first as a junior welterweight. He competed in the lightweight division for the first eight years of his professional career.

Haney became the first undisputed lightweight champion in the four-belt era when he defeated George Kambosos Jr. in October 2022. He vacated the undisputed title in November 2023 when he moved up in weight.

“I did everything at 135 that I could,” Haney said when he gave up the lightweight championship. “The biggest fight for me was making that Gervonta Davis fight, and his side showed no interest in making the fight. I’ve outgrown the division, so now I make my quest to 140 to become a two-division champion. And after this fight, I look to become a three-division champion and move up to 147, God willing that I’m successful in this fight.”

Garcia suffered his first professional loss in April 2023 when he was knocked out by Gervonta Davis in the seventh round.

The 136-pound catchweight fight had specific rules where they had to make weight at the official weigh-in the day before the bout, then weigh in again on the day of the fight. They were prohibited from weighing more than 146 pounds at the second weigh-in. Garcia was 135.5 pounds at the official weigh-in, his lowest for a fight since he took on Luke Campbell in January 2021.

Garcia rebounded with an eight-round knockout of Oscar Duarte on Dec. 2. The bout was contested at 143 pounds.

This will be Garcia’s first shot for an official major world championship. He won the vacant WBC interim lightweight title with his victory over Campbell.