“What’s up with the 144 you said out your mouth?” Bill Haney said in a video shared by Fight Hub TV, pressing Stevenson and his team to move negotiations forward.
Stevenson responded directly on X.
“Drop the belt and let’s make it happen then what’s the hold up Billy boy.”
The demand marks a shift in the public discussion surrounding the fight. When Stevenson and Haney first exchanged messages about meeting at 144 pounds, the focus was on agreeing to a catchweight rather than Haney relinquishing his WBO title.
Since then, the WBO has ordered Haney to make a mandatory defense against Keyshawn Davis, creating a potential obstacle to the Stevenson fight. However, Shakur has not explained why Haney must vacate the belt before negotiations can proceed, rather than allowing the sanctioning body to rule on the mandatory or exploring alternatives such as a delay or step-aside agreement.
From Haney’s perspective, if Shakur says:
“Drop the belt and then we’ll make the fight.”
The next question is:
“What’s my guarantee?”
Once Haney vacates, he has already given up something of value. If negotiations then collapse over money, a rematch clause, purse split, venue, broadcast rights, or anything else, Haney has lost his WBO title with nothing to show for it.
That’s why, in boxing, fighters generally don’t give away leverage unless there’s a signed contract contingent on it. If Shakur’s condition is genuine, Haney’s team could say:
“Fine. We’ll vacate after the contracts are signed.”
Or:
“We’ll vacate simultaneously with the official fight announcement.”
That protects Haney. Without those protections, Haney would be taking all the risk.
His comments have created fresh questions because the clearest immediate consequence of Haney vacating the title would be opening the door for Keyshawn to fight for the vacant championship. Shakur and Davis have long described each other as close friends, with Stevenson repeatedly referring to the Norfolk native as his “brother” and insisting he would never fight him.
Any connection between the two remains unclear, and the unbeaten former three-division champion has offered no public explanation beyond insisting Haney “drop the belt.”
The proposed Haney-Shakur fight remains unsigned, with Haney also facing the WBO’s deadline to negotiate terms for a mandatory defense against Keyshawn unless the title situation changes.
