Former world champion Devin Haney has raised significant legal and logistical concerns regarding the potential inclusion of welterweight prospect Tiger Johnson on the undercard of his proposed return to the ring later this year. Reports recently surfaced indicating that Johnson is being considered for an undercard slot on a high-profile boxing event targeted for December 19 at the Chase Center in San Francisco. However, Haney was quick to point out a major conflict standing in the way of that plan: an active legal dispute and an existing restraining order stemming from a physical altercation between the two fighters and members of Haney’s family earlier this year.
The controversy re-emerged after veteran boxing journalist Dan Rafael reported that Johnson was among the names under active consideration by organizers for the proposed December fight card. The event, which is being targeted for the Chase Center in Haney’s native hometown of San Francisco, would serve as a major homecoming fight for Haney, who is currently aligned to face Liam Paro in the main event.
Despite the excitement surrounding the proposed fight card in the Bay Area, Haney took to social media to publicly question how event promoters and legal authorities could accommodate Johnson on the same event bill given their ongoing court matters.
"How is this gonna happen with a restraining order on me?" Haney wrote in a direct response to Rafael’s initial report.
Haney’s public query immediately drew renewed attention to the unresolved legal feud that originated from a violent brawl involving Johnson, Devin Haney, and his father, trainer Bill Haney, at a major boxing event in New York City early in the year. The situation highlights the unusual legal and administrative hurdles combat sports organizers face when personal and court-ordered disputes spill over into event match-making.
Devin Haney and Tiger Johnson Brawl
The bad blood between the two camps traces back to an incident on January 30 of this year at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The confrontation occurred in the high-pressure backdrop of the fight week festivities leading up to the world championship bout between Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez. What began as a verbal dispute backstage quickly escalated into a physical clash involving multiple individuals.
Following an investigation into the backstage disturbance, both Devin Haney and Bill Haney were formally arrested by law enforcement officers on February 1. Both men were charged with misdemeanor assault in connection with the incident and were subsequently ordered to appear in New York Criminal Court. During their court proceedings, both Devin and Bill Haney entered official pleas of not guilty, firmly contesting the criminal charges leveled against them.
The incident gained widespread public attention after video footage purporting to show segments of the confrontation began circulating across social media platforms. The online videos sparked intense debate and controversy within the boxing community, raising questions about security protocols at major fight events and worsening the personal rift between the fighters involved.
In the aftermath of the altercation, Johnson publicly shared his version of events, accusing members of Team Haney of executing an unprovoked attack against him. In detailed allegations, Johnson claimed that Devin Haney physically struck him with punches during the melee, while Bill Haney allegedly placed him in a restrictive chokehold.
The Haney family has consistently denied these allegations and continues to contest the misdemeanor assault charges through their legal representation in the New York court system.
The dispute between the fighters spilled back into the public eye in July following Johnson’s ring victory over Christopher Guerrero. Fresh off his win, Johnson used his post-fight media availability to openly call out Haney, expressing a desire to settle their feud inside the boxing ring under official rules.
However, Haney responded to Johnson’s challenge by revealing that formal legal boundaries had been put in place following the January incident, preventing them from interacting or engaging in promotional back-and-forth.
"I’m not gonna say anything about guy.. cause he got a restraining order against me & my pops.. still fighting the case," Haney stated publicly at the time, confirming the existence of court-ordered restrictions obtained by Johnson against both Devin and Bill Haney.
Haney vs. Paro Undercard Doubts
The potential inclusion of Tiger Johnson on the December 19 fight card at the Chase Center has brought the practical implications of that restraining order back under intense scrutiny. As currently proposed, the San Francisco event is built around Devin Haney’s headlining clash against Liam Paro.
In addition to the main event, organizers have been working to construct a stacked supporting card for the San Francisco crowd. The proposed lineup includes a high-stakes matchup featuring Brian Norman Jr. against Abel Ramos, with undefeated prospect Rohan Polanco also named as another potential candidate to join the broadcast.
However, the addition of Johnson to that same lineup presents severe administrative and security challenges. In standard professional boxing events, fighters featured on the same card share numerous common spaces throughout fight week. Competing athletes typically attend joint promotional obligations, including press conferences, media workouts, official weigh-ins, rules meetings, and back-stage dressing room corridors on fight night.
If an active restraining order strictly governs the physical distance required between Johnson and the Haneys, operating a shared venue setup becomes immensely complicated for event staff, local venue operators, and security detail.
Haney’s recent public reaction underscores his deep skepticism regarding how fight organizers could successfully navigate these legal mandates. His comment indicates that he views the protective order as a major structural barrier to Johnson’s participation on any card where he and his father are present, particularly an event hosted in Haney’s hometown where his team will naturally have a massive operational presence.
At present, the precise legal terms, geographical distance requirements, and exact current status of the restraining order held by Johnson have not been publicly disclosed or independently confirmed by court officials. It remains unclear whether legal exceptions can be carved out for professional athletic competitions or if the court-ordered restrictions remain absolute regardless of the professional environment.
For the time being, Tiger Johnson’s appearance on the December 19 undercard remains a reported possibility under discussion by event planners rather than a finalized contract or confirmed booking. As the proposed date at the Chase Center approaches, organizers, sanctioning bodies, and legal representatives will likely need to address the legal restrictions before any official bout agreement involving Johnson can move forward on a Devin Haney fight card.
