Chris Mannix believes that Invoice Haney hopes Turki Alalshikh will make a unification struggle between Devin Haney and Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero occur in February 2026.
Mannix factors out that it’s a winnable struggle for WBO welterweight champion Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) in opposition to WBA champion Rolly Romero (17-2, 13 KOs). It retains Devin busy and permits him to choose up one other title earlier than going through Ryan Garcia in a rematch later in 2026.
If Haney can seize the WBA title from Rolly, it’s going to strengthen his bargaining place to get an even bigger slice of the purse in opposition to Ryan. With out that second title, Devin wouldn’t be in pretty much as good a spot, as a result of Garcia would nonetheless be extra widespread than him, with a far larger social media following.
“He’s calling out Rolly Romero, and saying, ‘Why don’t we struggle in February?’ They’re sending a message to Turki Alalshikh. ‘Hey, that’s two belts at welterweight. We’re able to go. We didn’t take an excessive amount of harm in that final struggle [Brian Norman Jr.]. We’re able to go in February,” mentioned commentator Chris Mannix on his channel about Devin and Invoice Haney wanting a unification struggle in opposition to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero in February 2026.
What Mannix is overlooking is 2 issues.
Shakhram Giyasov: He’s the WBA obligatory for Rolly’s title, and he’s already been bypassed as soon as when Eimantas Stanionis held the belt. The WBA has already ordered the struggle. So, until Turki gives Giyasov an enormous step apart, Rolly must defend in opposition to him or lose his belt.
Haney might lose. Rolly is a giant puncher, and Devin appeared gunshy in his final two fights. His victory over WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. final Saturday evening was not a dominant one. It concerned largely clinching after the second spherical knockdown. Haney threw solely 70 punches in all the struggle. Rolly might beat him and mess up the plans for the rematch with Ryan.
“Rolly Romero doesn’t have a struggle scheduled for the primary quarter of subsequent yr. Saudi Arabia goes to placed on one other present. February. There’s a motive why Invoice Haney is dropping Rolly Romero’s title within the month of February as a result of he is aware of Turki Alalshikh could make that struggle occur,” mentioned Mannix. It additionally retains him lined up for that massive showdown with Ryan Garcia doubtlessly later within the yr.”
“A fighter in Rolly that he’s going to have the ability to dominate simply as simple if not simpler than Brian Norman Jr,” mentioned Sergio Mora about Haney.
That was not a straightforward struggle for Haney. Mora labored the struggle as a commentator for DAZN, and his view of the motion didn’t match what was occurring contained in the ring. He talked of Devin dominating when he was holding in each spherical. Norman’s stress compelled Haney to carry excessively.
