Bill Haney says he wants Devin Haney to face Jack Catterall in the UK rather than the US because he wants to do something for the British fans.
He won’t say if Turki Alalshikh will finance the fight because, with the purse Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) likely wanted, he might not get the kind of booty he’s looking for if Catterall’s promoter Eddie. Hearn can’t offer.
On paper, this would probably be the biggest fight Catterall can get at 140, even bigger than Teofimo Lopez, who hasn’t proved to be a draw despite holding the WBO light welterweight title since 2023.
Haney wants to fight in the UK
Catterall’s lack of offense, low work rate and wild nature when attacked are clearly why Haney and Bill want to fight him. He didn’t look impressive in his fight against Regis Prograis on Saturday night, and they know he’s an easy mark.
“Who else is better than Catterall? We don’t say Jack here. We say Jack in the UK in his hometown where everyone believes in him is what we find interesting,” said Bill Haney to Thaboxingvoice of wanting his son, Devin Haney, to become Jack Catterall in the UK.
You can’t blame Haney and Bill for Catterall’s goal because it’s a very winnable fight for them as we saw last Saturday in their fight against Regis Prograis. Catterall lacks the killer instinct, and seems shy when attacked. He was running around the ring when he was attacked by Prograis.
“It’s an opportunity to go fight in the UK,” said Bill. “It’s not a feat for the faint of heart with Devin being an A-side champion in America going to Australia, going to the UK. I think a fight against Catterall at 140 will keep us right in line for Teofimo Lopez or whatever of the samples at 140”.
I don’t think Haney and Bill wanted anything to do with Catterall if he was a dangerous puncher. This is more of Haney seeing the weakness in Catterall, and he wants to take advantage of it.
“I think a fight against Blair Cobbs at 147 puts us in a fight for a belt at 147 against one of the champions here,” Bill said. “Catterall is not big enough to ask us to go there. It’s about going there for the UK fans. This is definitely on our bucket list.”
Bill has a generous attitude of wanting to give to UK fans, but it is very hard to believe that this is an altruistic move on his part. He has to understand that there is money to be made in the UK with big crowds, and it will help Haney’s popularity to be seen here beating Catterall in front of a large audience.
“If Jack Catterall makes the UK fans, then there’s his guy. It’s an opportunity for us to go there. It’s about teaming up with Turki Alalshikh and, of course, Eddie Hearn to make this fight what it could be . If the fight doesn’t happen with Catterall, we can go home and fight someone here,” said Bill Haney.
It remains to be seen if Turki will be interested in financing a fight between Haney and Catterall. If he does, he’ll probably want the fight in Saudi Arabia rather than the UK, but that doesn’t change anything. Haney would do it because the money would be excellent.
It will be interesting to see if the Haney vs. Catterall fight happens because Devin’s purse requirements will make it difficult to do without Turki’s involvement. Hearn will likely balk if Haney asks for a huge amount of money for a fight against Catterall.
