Every Thursday, right here at FightHype, I take time out of my busy schedule of producing hateful content to address readers’ questions and comments regarding the sport we all love (and sometimes love to hate). This week: Devin Haney, Saul Alvarez, and what if Manny Pacquiao wins.
Annoying Devin Haney?
Hi Paul.
Is there anyone more annoying than Devin Haney? He got his butt handed to him against Ryan Garcia and then celebrated like he won when the fight was made a no contest. Then, he took a year off and fought scared against Jose Ramirez in one of the worst fights I’ve ever seen. Yet, there he is on social media and there his father is acting like he’s on top of the world and a p4p great. His biggest win should’ve been scored a loss to a much smaller Vasiliy Lomachenko. The world doesn’t need to see anything else from this hype job with the inflated ego and the annoying dad.
– Jerry
Hey Jerry.
Oh, I can think of many, many boxing people more annoying than Devin Haney. But I will agree that Haney has become annoying for all the reasons you mentioned.
I think that the whole “he’s not accepting defeat” thing is coming mostly from his father, though. Haney looked defeated during the Ryan Garcia fight, after the fight, in the wake of the no contest declaration, throughout his off time, and through that awful Ramirez fight in Times Square. He looks mentally “off” no matter how much Bill Haney tries to sell the world on his son as non-damaged goods.
Even with the Garcia “L” scrubbed off his official record, he sustained an embarrassing and painful shellacking back in April of 2024– against a guy who, by most accounts, was barely training and was spending most of his time partying and having meltdowns on social media. In my opinion, he’s still not over that humiliation and, maybe, never will be.
He’s still young and, physically, he’s fine, but someone may get to him before he gets a chance to truly get himself back together. If that happens, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to boxing. The sport was hoping to get the next Sugar Ray Leonard with Haney and they’re ending up with the next Devon Alexander, instead.
What If Pacquiao Wins?
Hey Magno.
Here’s a crazy thought, but what happens if Manny Pacquiao beats Mario Barrios in July for the WBC welterweight belt? Crazier things have happened. Barrios isn’t really all that special anyway. Do you see Pacquiao fighting on? Would he then be moved into a super fight, even at 46+? If so, who could he matched against?
– Right Hook Cal
Hey Cal.
One of the reasons I’ve been throwing shade on the Pacquiao-Barrios fight is that I don’t think Pacquiao will do a damn thing with that belt if he wins it. In this manufactured money grab, the world title is just a prop, mostly because there’s nowhere else to safely go for the 46-year-old soon-to-be Hall of Famer. If he somehow beats Barrios (which is not a far-fetched possibility), what’s he supposed to do? He’d get badly scrambled against IBF/WBA 147 lb. champ Jaron Ennis and nobody would pay a dime to watch him fight WBO titlist Brian Norman. Anyone actually decent around 140-154 would also handle Manny with ugly, brutal ease. The only thing I can possibly see in the dark corners of my jaded boxing mind is, maybe, (cringe, shudder at the possibility) Gervonta Davis in a catchweight monstrosity. Most likely, though, Manny would just retire, win or lose against Barrios. Pacquiao-Barrios is all rather pointless.
The End of Canelo?
Hi Paul.
Bob Arum really let Canelo Alvarez have it the other day, saying that Canelo is no longer a fight and that he’s only boxing for the paycheck. Eddie Hearn said that he wouldn’t be surprised if Canelo retired before the Crawford fight. I don’t know what the future holds for Canelo, but none of it is very interesting to me anymore. I agree with the Bobfather that Canelo is just about the money now and doesn’t care anymore the fans or about making a legacy for himself. I’m not so sure if he retires and especially not before Crawford, but I do see him losing his star power. What do you see in the future for Canelo?
– J
Hey J.
I’ve been saying that it was time for boxing businessmen to get out of the Canelo Alvarez business for about three years already. His performances are shit, his money/revenue demands are ridiculous, and his appeal has been diminishing. One of the few sure things in boxing over the last few years is that you’re not going to get a compelling, satisfying performance from Canelo. Arum is 100% right. Alvarez is not a fighter anymore, he’s an attraction. He’s the boxing equivalent of a bloated, jaded pop star signing on to a Las Vegas residency, half-assing his way through his greatest hits for an audience just there to say they saw him in person. I think he’s going to be in for a rude awakening against Crawford because Bud has a chip on his shoulder and WILL come to win. Not only will he come to win, but, also, unlike many of Canelo’s latest opponents, he has the ability to win as well. If Canelo loses, he’ll retire. If he wins, he’ll continue on with his half-assed greatest hits shows, cashing checks from the money mark Saudis.
Got a question (or hate mail) for Magno’s Bulging Mail Sack? The best of the best gets included in the weekly mailbag segment right here at FightHype. Send your stuff here: paulmagno@theboxingtribune.com.
