'We just took the chance': Inside Devin Haney's unique approach to becoming a boxing star - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — DEVIN HANEY ROLLED into the back of his white Mercedes-Maybach SUV, and through a massive gold grill, he reminisced on everything he and his father Bill Haney had built. His security guard, Tank, took the wheel of the $170,000 vehicle as Haney departed the news conference where he had just faced off with Saturday's opponent, Vasiliy Lomachenko.

Haney's 15-person entourage that day was filled with friends and team members, spread across multiple vehicles. But it wasn't always this way.

When father and son relocated from Oakland, California to Las Vegas nearly 17 years ago to pursue boxing, it was just Devin and Bill. Their bond has proven unbreakable through all this boxing life has thrown at them.

At 17, Haney was a decorated amateur boxer with upward of 500,000 Instagram followers. Promoters scrambled to sign him ahead of his pro debut, but the Haneys weren't interested.

Top Rank Boxing is now on ESPN and ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ to get exclusive boxing events, weigh-ins and more.

Saturday, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+: Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko prelims

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN: Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko main undercard

Saturday, 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV: Devin Haney vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko, 12 rounds, for Haney's undisputed lightweight championship

Instead, they bucked convention and refused several six-figure signing bonus offers to plot their own path without a promoter. The art of developing a top amateur boxer into a champion is a delicate one usually left to veteran matchmakers. The aim: to keep the fighter's undefeated record intact but also progressively raise the competition level.

The Haneys took on that challenge themselves. Ten of his first 15 pro fights were staged on the Mexican club