Haney–Stevenson Fight Talks Stall Over Rehydration Dispute

Overview

• The two champions renewed a sharp online back-and-forth on October 4, with Stevenson urging Haney to stop negotiating on social media and Haney insisting Stevenson remove the rehydration restriction before signing a contract.
• Stevenson seeks a catchweight and a rehydration limit to curb how much weight an opponent can regain after the official weigh-in, a protection he says is needed if he moves up in weight to face the welterweight Haney.
• Haney and his camp have repeatedly opposed a rehydration clause and Bill Haney has publicly rejected catchweight limits, arguing the fight should occur at the full welterweight limit without post-weigh-in restrictions.
• Regulatory and business hurdles have added friction: a WBO mandatory order for Haney to face Keyshawn Davis and a later Davis withdrawal over a purse dispute complicated scheduling and contract talks.
• With neither fighter under contract and both linked to other opponents, the fight remains unresolved and could be delayed for months unless one side changes its position or negotiators bridge the rehydration and weight terms.