Devin Haney doused gasoline all over his fiery rivalry with Ryan Garcia on Friday when he filed a lawsuit against the social media star.
The two-weight world champion climbed back up from the canvas on three occasions but was nonetheless outpointed by Garcia in their controversial showdown last April.
Soon after, though, the result of their bout was ruled a no-contest when it emerged that Ryan Garcia had tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance.
And now, with Haney alleging battery, fraud and unjust enrichment, it would seem that the 25-year-old could be in for a harsher punishment than just a year-long ban.
Why Eddie Hearn believes that Devin Haney’s lawsuit represents a ‘pivotal moment for the sport’
While Devin Haney has previously expressed an interest in rematching Garcia, it appears that, instead, he has chosen to settle their differences in the courtroom.
And despite the bleakness attached to any legal battle, the American’s former promoter, Eddie Hearn, has suggested that this decision could, in actual fact, have a positive impact on boxing.
“Win, lose or draw in court, I think this is actually a good thing to deter fighters from using performance enhancing drugs because the penalty [enforced in boxing] is not strict enough,” Hearn told Boxing Social.
“Like Ryan Garcia is a good example where he’s got a year’s ban. By the time you have six months off and a little break, you’re going back into camp.
“But the deterrent of losing tens of millions of dollars is much worse. So now that there’s a potential legal action, against someone that takes performance enhancing drugs, I actually think it’s a pivotal moment for the sport in that respect.”
What next for Devin Haney and Ryan Garcia?
As the pair continue their intense feud outside of the ring, one must also question what lies ahead regarding the future of their careers.
For Haney, it would make perfect sense to challenge Liam Paro for the IBF world super lightweight title, given that, despite not losing his trinket inside the ring, he is no longer the WBC champion at 140 lbs.
The only issue with that matchup, of course, is the fact that Paro is promoted by Hearn, who slammed Haney after he demanded tickets for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois.
As for Garcia, his ring return will not arrive until he has served his ban and, who knows, perhaps Haney’s lawsuit may even keep him away from boxing for longer.