IN A career that has seen him win undisputed world titles and earn millions of dollars – Devin Haney finally has something else to fight for.
The American boxing star and model Leena Sayed welcomed baby daughter Khrome Iman into the world in January.
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Haney, 26, told SunSport: “Kids are a blessing, they bring more blessings and everything has been on the up and up since my daughter’s been born.
“I thank Allah for that and it gives me more motivation and more drive to do it even more, even though I love the sport of boxing.
“It’s just genuinely something that I love doing but it just gave me that, you know, that extra.”
Haney – a former undisputed lightweight champion – has been a model pro throughout his boxing career.
So while he cannot improve on dedication, his newborn daughter is just the newest reason for giving up his life to the brutal sport.
Haney said: “I can’t say necessarily it changed me because I think I’m just a warrior and no matter what, I want her to know that about her dad.”
Haney has not returned since his controversial fight against Ryan Garcia in April 2024.
He was dropped four times before losing a decision – only for the result to be overturned after Garcia failed a drug test.
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Haney set up in Big Bear California – known for its gruelling altitude – for his return and kissed his baby goodbye as he left for training camp.
He revealed: “This is my job at the end of the day. I know what I signed up for.
“It is what it is and I was there to see her born and be with her and all of that.
“But now I had to go back to camp and go to work and do what I gotta do. And like I said, this is what I love to do at the end of the day.
“So one day she’s gonna look back and she’s gonna see that her dad is a legend and it all starts now.
“These are the moments that will make that come true.”
Haney is already dreaming of the day his daughter is old enough for him to watch back and relieve some of his greatest boxing nights.
He said: “That’s what it’s about, being a good role model for her and just her looking, being able to look back on these moments, look at what I stood for and everything like that.”
The ex-WBC super-lightweight champ prepares to fight for the first time in over a year – his longest career layoff – after taking a rare break.
Haney said: “I enjoyed my time off. I don’t plan on ever having a layoff like that ever again but I enjoyed it.
“I had time to travel, spend time with family, stuff like that. But I’m ready to be back in the limelight and under those bright lights and I’m ready to perform…
One day she’s gonna look back and she’s gonna see that her dad is a legend and it all starts now. These are the moments that will make that come true.
Devin Haney
“I stayed in the gym the whole time. I was really just perfecting my craft the whole time.
“Even when I was travelling, I was still training and stuff like that because I knew that when I came back, I wanted to make a statement.
“I wanted to come back a better version of what I was before. So yeah, I’ve been in the gym for almost this whole year.”
Garcia tested positive for ostarine – a banned substance known to boost muscle growth – and accepted a one-year ban.
It followed after tests taken on the day of and 24 hours after the fight – which has changed to a no-contest.
But, Garcia did clean VADA tests in the build-up to his bout with Haney and put the positive ostarine result down to contaminated supplements.
A massive rematch between the former amateur rivals is planned for this winter and already looming large.
But first, Haney faces Jose Ramirez, 32, and Garcia fights Rolando Romero, 29, in a stunning three-bout card at Times Square on Friday.
And Haney said: “Right now it’s not time for me to speak on that. Right now my main focus is Jose Ramirez and focusing on Jose.
“We’ll get to that Ryan fight after this one, but right now I put all my attention, all my focus on Jose Ramirez because he’s a live dog. He’s coming to fight.
“That’s my main focus right now.”
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