Devin Haney / Getty Images

Devin Haney Points to a Secret Influence in Crawford vs Canelo

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 9:27 PM ET

Haney names the hidden hand that first sparked the idea for the Canelo vs Crawford showdown

The fight game always has layers, and Devin Haney continues to be part of the conversation even when the spotlight isn’t directly on him. After bouncing back from his loss to Ryan Garcia in emphatic fashion—nearly sweeping every round against Jose Ramirez on May 2 in a massive Times Square showcase—Haney is again making headlines. This time it’s not about his own performance inside the ring, but about who he believes will come out on top in one of boxing’s biggest super fights, Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford. He also revealed a secret influence that helped bring the matchup into existence.

Haney sat down with the All the Smoke Boxingpodcast and gave his breakdown of the clash.

‘It’s a good matchup, Bud has the skills and discipline, IQ to win, but Canelo has all that with the size, I’m picking Bud to win, will it be an easy task no,’ Haney said. What raised eyebrows even more was when Haney revealed a private conversation between Crawford and his father, Bill Haney.

Devin Haney’s got a pick for Canelo vs. Crawford… and he’s not second-guessing it pic.twitter.com/zKYt7hKBjH
— All the Smoke Boxing (@atsboxing) August 20, 2025

According to him, Bill once told Crawford directly: ‘The fight for you is Canelo.’ At the time, that suggestion stood out because Crawford built most of his career at 140 pounds before moving to 147, while Canelo has established himself at 168 pounds.

The weight difference made the matchup seem far-fetched, and Haney recalled Crawford giving his dad a strange look after hearing it. Fast forward to today, and the fight is on—making Bill Haney’s advice look prophetic.

While the boxing world waits for Canelo vs Crawford, Devin Haney’s own path is set. He is expected to step up to welterweight on November 22 against Brian Norman Jr. in a bid for Norman’s WBO title. With that move, Haney is chasing his own piece of history while giving credit where it’s due for a blockbuster matchup that has the sport buzzing.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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