Manny Pacquiao has emerged as the logical next challenger for Devin Haney after Keyshawn Davis rejected the WBO purse bid terms, opening the door to one of the biggest championship fights boxing can make.
The World Boxing Organization confirmed the development in an official statement sent to World Boxing News after receiving written notice from Davis’ attorney, Josh Dubin.
The WBO said Davis “will not accept the twenty-five percent (25%) purse split adjudicated pursuant to the official WBO Welterweight Championship purse bid proceedings and, consequently, will NOT participate in the ordered championship contest against WBO Welterweight World Champion Devin Haney.”
Top Rank secured promotional rights with a winning bid of $8.55 million, leaving Haney in line to receive $6.41 million and Davis $2.14 million.
Despite becoming mandatory challenger, Davis formally declined the adjudicated terms and withdrew from the ordered championship bout.
The sanctioning body added: “The matter will be formally referred to the WBO Championship Committee and Ratings Committee, which shall convene to render the appropriate ruling pursuant to the WBO World Championship Rules and Regulations.”
Manny Pacquiao Davis’ withdrawal could hand Pacquiao the opportunity he has been waiting for.
With Davis out of the picture, Haney is no longer tied to a mandatory that never materialized. Brian Norman Jr. has already been beaten by Haney, while Teofimo Lopez is committed to challenging Rolando Romero for the WBA welterweight title on August 22.
Pacquiao sits fourth in the latest WBO rankings, but with Davis gone, Norman already beaten and Lopez occupied elsewhere, the Filipino icon becomes the standout realistic option if the WBO moves down the available contenders.
The situation also suits Haney.
Had he pursued Pacquiao while Davis remained the mandatory challenger, it would have looked as though he was bypassing his obligations to face a 47-year-old legend.
Now, that criticism largely disappears because Davis removed himself from the equation.
Instead of forcing the fight, circumstances may have created the perfect path for it to happen naturally.
World Title at 47 For Pacquiao, the timing could hardly be better.
The Filipino superstar would have the chance to fight for another world title before a proposed rematch with Floyd Mayweather, adding championship stakes to an already lucrative showdown between the two legends.
If Pacquiao can pull off another remarkable victory and become a world champion again at 47, he wouldn’t just head into a Mayweather rematch as a legend. He would do so as a reigning world champion, adding a bona fide strap to what is already the biggest financial fight still available to both men.
Davis may have rejected the biggest payday of his career, but in doing so he could have opened the door to one of boxing’s most compelling fights.
