Devin Haney, the reigning WBC 140-pound champion, recently expressed his disappointment over the purse bid for his upcoming title defense against Sandor Martin. Haney, who was anticipating a more lucrative payday, will now be earning a $1.5 million purse for the June 18th bout.
The purse bid hearing, held on Tuesday, saw Bob Arum’s Top Rank as the sole bidder, submitting $2.42 million for the promotional rights. As the champion, Haney is entitled to 70% of the remaining $2,178,000, which amounts to $1,524,600. Meanwhile, the Spanish challenger, Sandor Martin, will receive the remaining 30%, or $653,400.
Haney had hoped that Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom would also participate in the bidding, but the promotion decided to stay away, believing the event would generate low viewership and insufficient profits to cover the expenses. Hearn’s decision was a strategic one, as he recognized the potential risk of Haney losing to the determined Martin, who has the strength to complete the task that Ryan Garcia started in their recent encounter.
In his last outing, Haney successfully defended his title against Garcia, despite the latter missing the weight by 3.2 pounds. Now, Haney finds himself facing a new challenge in the form of Martin, who is eager to make his mark on the world stage.
Martin, coming off a knockout victory over Mohamed El Marcouchi in December, has been waiting for this opportunity to challenge Haney for the coveted WBC 140-pound title. Last year, in an interview with Marca, the Spanish boxer called out Haney, stating, “If he wants a top-level fight, like the one he is looking for with someone who will demand him both physically and mentally in the sport of boxing, he knows that I am the fight he needs.”
