Top Rank has won the WBO purse bid for Devin Haney’s welterweight title defense against Keyshawn Davis, submitting a winning offer of $8,550,000.
Veteran boxing reporter Dan Rafael broke the news Thursday, reporting that Top Rank’s bid comfortably beat out a $2,350,000 offer from Takeover Promotions, the outfit run by Teofimo Lopez.
Top Rank listed an Oct. 3 date as the likely target for the fight, per Rafael, with the Barclays Center in New York, State Farm Arena in Atlanta, and the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas under consideration as possible sites. Takeover Promotions had proposed Oct. 16 or 23 in Sunrise or Miami had it won the bid. Both sides also paid a $2,000 participation fee to enter the process.
Purse Bid Background
The WBO had ordered the purse bid after Haney and Davis’ camps could not close a financial gap in mandatory negotiations. Under WBO regulations, Haney is entitled to 75 percent of the winning bid as champion, with Davis receiving the remaining 25 percent, a split that puts Davis’ cut of Top Rank’s offer at roughly $2.1 million.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) won the WBO welterweight title in November with a unanimous decision over Brian Norman Jr., becoming a three-division champion. This is his first mandatory defense of the belt. Davis (15-0, 10 KOs), a former WBO lightweight champion, has won his last two fights against Jamaine Ortiz and Nahir Albright and has yet to compete at 147 pounds.
What’s Next
With Top Rank now controlling promotional rights to the fight, the sides are expected to finalize a venue and broadcast plans in the coming weeks ahead of the proposed October date.
