The on-and-off discussions have gone up in flames as the two pound-for-pound talents will go elsewhere for their next fights. Haney is expected to face Liam Paro in a welterweight unification before the end of 2026, while Stevenson’s manager, J Prince, said Stevenson will return at the beginning of 2027.

Prince blamed Haney’s father, trainer and manager, Bill Haney, for the fight not coming to fruition.

“I think Devin wanted to fight,” Prince told Fight Hub TV’s Marcos Villegas on Friday.

“I think Bill didn't want to fight, and I think they figured out a way to sabotage the fight. It's interesting how you hear all the different lies and opinions that people have on what happened. The reality of it is exactly what I just said.”

Stevenson (25-0, 11 KOs) is The Ring’s No. 3-ranked fighter pound-for-pound. Haney (33-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) is No. 8 on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list and No. 1-rated welterweight for its vacant title.

The weight and whether there would be a rehydration clause were the two sticking points over a potential fight. Haney, who holds the WBO welterweight title, was steadfast about having no rehydration clause. Stevenson, The Ring and WBO 140-pound champion, wanted the fight to be at 145 pounds.

Prince said an agreement was in place before the fight fell apart over the weight it would take place at.

“No rehydration clause,” Prince said.

“We agreed at 145, and Shakur was training for the fight. I was told Devin was training for the fight, but as you see, some kind of way, at the 11th hour or whatever it was, ‘Oh, we want to fight at 147 now.’ I don't think they ever wanted to fight. I think Devin did. I think Bill never liked the fight, and he figured out a way to stop it.”

“It was [a] disappointment," Prince said. "He was training hard, preparing to whoop Devin’s ass. For that to take place, and for all the time to be spent on that one fighter, we had several fighters mentioned in our contract that we should have been focusing on. For some reason, Devin was the target, and not delivering that target, we don't want to continue to move forward with him in mind.”

Stevenson, 29, has since parted ways with Zuffa Boxing before ever fighting under the promotional banner. The Newark, New Jersey, native signed with Zuffa Boxing, an emerging promotional company in which Ring owner Turki Alalshikh has made a significant financial investment, on July 9.

Stevenson became a four-division champion with a dominant unanimous decision over Teofimo Lopez to win The Ring and WBO 140-pound titles at Madison Square Garden in New York on January 31.

Haney, 27, won a world title in a third division in his last fight when he beat Brian Norman Jr. by unanimous decision to win the WBO welterweight title on November 22 in Saudi Arabia.

While discussions of a fight between Stevenson and Haney are off the table, Prince didn't rule out them fighting down the line if they’re at welterweight at the same time.

“I think all things are possible, and we look forward to that right time,” Prince said. “I look forward to dealing with him at 147. For them to try and make it before then, and everybody making the sacrifices to make it right now, which we did, and they tucked their tail in their ass and took off running.

“They didn't want it right now. Another year, year and a half, if Devin is able to stay above the water, we'll go to 147 to deal with him.”