Devin Haney has gone on an apology tour following his "white boy" remark which polarized theboxing industry.- The WBC lightweight world champion was asked a question last week about Vasyl Lomachenko, who is white.
- "Fight a white boy 10 times, I'm gonna beat him 10 times," Haney said.
- He has since said he's not a racist on Twitter, that he has "learned a lot" since making the comment, and now regrets saying it.
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Devin Haney said he's not a racist, has "learned a lot," and regrets his "white boy" remark which polarized the boxing industry.
Haney, a 21-year-old American fighter who has been likened to Floyd Mayweather, said last week during a 78SportsTV live stream on YouTube that he'd "never let a white boy" beat him.
"Fight a white boy 10 times, I'm gonna beat him 10 times," Haney said.
His comment became a hot topic in the sport, with boxing promoter Michelle Rosado saying the sport has enough issues without lines like Haney's. Another promoter, Lou DiBella, said boxing can do without "racial s---."
As the WBC's lightweight world champion, Haney had a conversation with the boxing organization's president, Mauricio Sulaiman.
On Twitter, he was quick to clarify his remarks and said he's "not racist."
In a separate statement on social media, he added: "I just had a very positive conversation with Mauricio Sulaiman … and confirmed to him directly my commitment to be a role model and my absolute rejection of discrimination of any kind."
But that wasn't his only comment as his apology tour continued with a longer statement on Twitter before an interview with The Ring magazine.
"Over the last couple days I've had time to reflect on a lot," Haney said. "I sincerely regret using a term that I have now learned to be derogatory to many of my fans, friends, and associates.
"I have learned a valuable lesson and I will continue to show the kind of person that I really am, and will continue my quest for greatness inside and outside the ring."
—Devin Haney (@Realdevinhaney) April 21, 2020
Speaking to The Ring, Haney said it was "crazy" to read the comments about it on social media.
"The people around me and the people who generally know me also know that I'm not racist at all," he said.
'If anyone really knows me, it is kind of funny'
"I always thought that one day I would be big in boxing, and reach a peak, but not for anything like this. If anyone really knows me, it is kind of funny."
Haney said his "white boy" comments were aimed at Vasyl Lomachenko, Insider's No.2 ranked fighter in world boxing today, and a gold medal Olympian from Britain called Luke Campbell — both of whom are white.
"I didn't intend it to be aimed at anything racial," he said. "You're in the gym, you'll hear things like, 'That's a bad white boy; that guy can fight.' I think people took what I said way too seriously and there is no way that I meant it in a racial way.
"Everyone sees me calling out every race of fighters. I don't discriminate. If you're in the opposite corner, my job is to beat you. I don't care what race you are, black, white, Mexican. It doesn't matter to me.
"[I] believe that if anyone is a racist or prejudiced in any sport, they're never going to make it. My promoter, Eddie Hearn, is white. The people that are very close to me are white, black, and all races.
"In boxing, there is no racism. There can't be. I'm not a racist — point blank. I want the world to know that. My track record shows it."
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