WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has confirmed that Keyshawn Davis will be the mandatory challenger to welterweight titleholder Devin Haney.
Haney collected the WBO strap with a unanimous decision victory over Brian Norman Jnr in November 2025. Since then, Haney has flirted with fights against Shakur Stevenson and Rolly Romero, with neither coming to fruition. With no voluntary defense scheduled, the WBO confirmed to BoxingScene earlier this month that Haney would be ordered to face his mandatory next.
Following Keyshawn Davis’ move up from 140lbs, the WBO installed the former lightweight champion in the No.1 slot at welterweight. BoxingScene reported that Davis was expected to be ordered as Haney’s mandatory for an August date, and Olivieri has now confirmed that in an interview with Naji Chill.
“[The fight will be ordered] probably by the end of this month or early July,” said Olivieri, on Cigar Talk. “We have to issue that negotiation letter for the mandatory. It’s a matter of timing, but it’s a done deal that Keyshawn Davis is the mandatory for Devin Haney. Haney’s camp has been advised in writing by the championship committee, ‘Hey champion, you’ve got your mandatory coming up.’ Once the committee makes a decision they will issue a negotiation letter with a timeline.”
