Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney's confrontation has Eddie Hearn believing they'll fight in spring 2022

FRESNO, Calif. — Boxing fans have been clamoring for the four young guns of the lightweight division — three-belt champion Teofimo Lopez, WBC titlist Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis — to fight one another. To their chagrin, none of those potential bouts have happened as of yet. But we could be inching closer to the first one being made. 

After the conclusion of Sandor Martin's upset win over Mikey Garcia on Saturday evening, Lopez and Haney got into a fracas were words exchanged between the 135-pound champions and their fathers. Luckily, it didn't get physical and both were eventually separated. 

Lopez was there to promote his upcoming fight, against George Kambosos on DAZN, that is being targeted for sometime in the fall and Haney was at the fight to do an interview on the Garcia-Martin broadcast to discuss a potential bout with JoJo Diaz that is being aimed for December, also on DAZN. In the middle of it all with a smile on his face was the head of Matchroom Boxing, Eddie Hearn, who promotes Haney, and won the purse bid for Lopez-Kambosos when Triller defaulted. Hearn talked about how the confrontation occured and is now of the belief that the two champions will square off in 2022 after they get through their next fights.

"I had a meeting with Devin earlier," Hearn told DAZN News after the fracas. "It’s very frustrating at the moment with JoJo Diaz and a whole situation of people not wanting to fight Devin Haney. Devin’s always told me Ryan Garcia will never fight me. I didn’t necessarily believe him but I do believe him now. I said to him tonight, ‘Teofimo Lopez will fight you.’ He said he won’t. I said, ‘I reckon he will.’ He said, ‘I’m telling you he won’t.’

"And when he turned up tonight, someone shouted something and he went over and they got head-to-head. He said, ‘Look, I’m gunna f— you up.’ I said (to Haney and Lopez), ‘Guys, you are fighting on DAZN, which is great. Teo, you are fighting George Kambosos and Devin, you are hopefully fighting JoJo Diaz. It’s the week after each other. Let’s make the fight.' And then everybody started up and arguing for about 20 minutes. I said, ‘Guys, can we just get one thing clear to Teo’s dad: We want the fight.’ He (Lopez Sr.) said, ‘No, we want the fight.’ I said, ‘Well then, let’s stop arguing, get through our fights and get it made.’ I know Devin will fight him and I do believe Teo will fight him. I think you will see that fight in spring of next year."

One obstacle that could stand in the way is the head of Top Rank, Bob Arum, who promotes Lopez. Hearn and Arum have worked together in the past and it feels like the Hall of Fame promoter won't stand in the way of an undisputed lightweight title clash between two of boxing's youngest stars.

"No," Hearn bluntly said. "I think Bob would make that fight. It would be a huge one for the undisputed title."