Devin Haney: I have learned a valuable lesson

WBC lightweight champion in recess Devin Haney has issued a new statement on social media addressing his controversial statements that caused a firestorm in the boxing world over the last several days.

“Over the last couple days I’ve had time to reflect on a lot. I sincerely regret using a term that I have now learned to be derogatory to many of my fans, friends and associates. I have learned a valuable lesson and I will continue to show the kind of person that I really am and will continue my quest for greatness inside and outside the ring.”

WBA discusses boxing activity behind closed doors
WBC Talks: Episode 19

Top Boxing News

PLEASE READ
We have a few rules to make our comment section more enjoyable for everyone.
1. Keep comments related to boxing.
2. Be respectful, polite and keep it clean.
3. Personal attacks will not be tolerated.
Offending posts will be removed.
Repeat offenders will be put on moderation.
  • Smart move. When I read what he had to say it surprised me as he sounded like an articulate guy in interviews I’ve seen of him so I don’t think he meant to come across the way he did

    • shortest heel turn ever. the kid doesn’t have that in him to be the bad guy.

    • When you say someone (especially a minority) is articulate your saying, because of who they are you didn’t expect them to be able to speak in a certain way, we’ve heard this all our lives!

      • Either you can actually read people’s minds, or you’re going out of your way to find ordinary comments offensive.

    • I gree ,he is young and said what he did because Gary Russell Called the division out still no excuse but again he is Young

  • Hey Haney, I don’t blame you dude, I am sure it’s part belief and part money, realize Loma is 32 now, and I believe you will lose via KO, it’s cool I totally understand why you made the remarks….

  • Now that’s a little more like it. I think we can cut the young man some slack on this one.

  • To little to late, your still a knut! and no one willbuy your ppv to support a racist.

    • Roy needs to take a chill pill. It just for show, once the fight is over it will be lovey dovey.

  • Did Hopkins ever make a statement after he lost to a few “white” boys?

    • Scooby, no. But then again those were different times. Heck Mohammad Ali changed his name because Cassius clay was a “slave name given by a white man”, no one said anything there. Or when mike Tyson said that all those who wanted him to fail were probably white. We are in the era of butt hurtness.

      • Whetto, interesting reply…I did not know the Cassius Clay background to the name itself.

        • Scooby, It’s out there in one of his interviews regarding the name change. Those were different times though.

      • Ali’s grandfather was Irish, nothing to do with slavery. He denied his white herritage. He was a middleclassed dude that claimed to be working class. Even throwing his olympic medal into the Potemic river was a lie. He was a racist in a racist cult. Luckily he saw the error of his ways late in life. Frazier on the other hand, he had issues to complain about. Look up AKA Cassius Clay on youtube. We made Ali into a saint. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=aka+cassius+clay

      • Remember him saying that but people said plenty about it the time-mostly negative.

  • Only valuable lesson here is that even in the effort of hyping a fight, you gotta be careful because there are always people out there looking to see what they are going to be offended by.

  • We all say stupid things at one time especially when you are very young.

  • Was that an apology!? All I read was regret and no, “I am sorry” or I apologize.” Cheap apology if you ask me. Typical!

    • If he apologized to your likings you would still complain. Once people cross those racial borders there is no apology that is good enough to satisfy everyone.

  • You showed us who you really, you thought since Floyd got away with being a racist fool “why can’t I”. Floyd is a racist and so are you, you’ll get beat the first time you fight someone with a pulse!!

    • Art Carbajal, come on man he’s not. Floyd says stupid shit because it sells. He’s an asshole, and all across. Doesn’t discriminate.

    • @ Art-I’ve never known Floyd to be racist, obnoxious yes, but not racist! I highly doubt Devin Haney is either. He was popping off for publicity and promotion. Trying to play the villain role. The boxing world is dead right now and you gotta do something to remind people you’re still around! He’s been pretty busy calling out Ryan Garcia and trying to get his WBC belt back. Squeaky wheel gets the grease!

    • Dude everyone is racist. You’re telling me If Floyd fought the way he fought but was the same nationality as you, you wouldn’t think he was the greatest? Even you’re racist to a certain extent.

  • THERE YA GO DEVIN, SOMETIMES EVERYBODY MAKES A MISTAKE.. BE KIND TO ALL OF YOUR FANS THERE’S MANY WHO LIKE YOU… ALL IS FORGIVEN…..

  • Still a racist. Maybe his fear of losing fans because he’s a racist will make him keep it on the downlow. I hope Lomo knocks him off his racist perch.

  • That’s why we have to take a second to think before we speak. Our words can leave a large impression and based on that we tend to form a box of who you are. Next time choose better wording. I hope he learn from this and move on to greatness.

  • I hope that is that last we have to hear on the subject and we can concentrate on what he does in the ring.

  • The lesson he learned was “keep your racism and lack of respect for white people on the downlow otherwise it may hit you in your pocket….however still keep on hating white people.” That’s what he learned. He’s a bum

  • — The irony of Ali changing his name when he and pop were named after a noted abolitionst prob lost on this crowd.

    Name change was a cult requirement of the NOI then, another irony being Africa as the first recorded slave transaction 3600 years ago.

    Going further back in time on his paternal side, the great senator John Henry Clay enters the fray as a abolitionist and slave owner having inherited his slaves from an unnamed source and marriage. If he frees his slaves, they’d have a better chance of starving than being hired at the low wages being paid then.

    Upon his death he frees them and provides for their education and a starter fund for that transition. Slavery and it’s varients still endemic world wide.

    https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129229303

  • Now learned is derogatory??? So before he said it her thought what? BS damage control. We already all we need to know about this kids character….

  • Haney, the people your supposedly apologizing to dont support you anyway. These are the same people coming up with excuses of why Loma shouldnt fight you and how Loma would dominate if you did. The Loma fan boys pretending to end their support when they never supported Haney in the first place. Just more example of how Black fighters are held to higher standards. No mention of Josh Taylor assaulting an Asian man and calling him racial slurs. And caught with drugs on him. Its simply a double standard in a race fueled sport.

  • Not a good apology. He regrets using the term “white boy,” but if he had instead said “I will never lose to a white person,” it’s still problematic.

  • Well, I truly hope this kid has learned his lesson as he has stated. Let us hope he is able to become the best he can in his division and continue to acknowledge that the sport and skills of boxing is defined in the ring, not by spewing hate or creating this negative publicity stunt simply to sell a fight. When a boxer is really good and has proven his skills in the ring, he or she does not have to bring the garbage element to the ring. The fact that he or she is that good, will make the fight sell itself.

  • I’ve always thought Devin Haney was an articulate and likeable fighter; until that deplorable comment. Now, hey, we all make mistakes, and I’m hoping Devin truly understands that what he said was just plain wrong. Never too late to apologize, if you truly mean it.

  • APRIL 17, 2020 : I will never lose to a white boy!!

    APRIL 21, 2020: I sincerely regret using that term. I have learned a valuable lesson…

  • Anyone gullible enough to believe this change of heart is genuine, really should re educate themselves. Firstly, he has been told he has to do it, and secondly, he has been told, how this will affect his future purses. You don’t fool me Haney.

  • What offends me most about Haney’s comments is that they weren’t even his own! He took a page straight out of Bernard Hopkins book! Nothing stirs the boxing public up more than some good, controversial, trash talk-but c’mon man! At least be original!!!

  • Everyone is complaining about how he “apologized”. What do you want him to say, “I invite all white guys to stand in line and kick me in the balls to show how sorry I am”. I high doubt anyone of you supported him anyway. He shouldn’t have taken that route. Even if Lomo wanted to fight him today its not happening right now anyways so Devin needs to calm down.

  • >