Sean O’Malley responds to Devin Haney as boxer mocks him after UFC defeat
Sean O’Malley made time to hit back at Devin Haney just hours after losing his title at UFC 306.
O’Malley was beaten on the record-breaking UFC 306 bill at The Sphere in Las Vegas, losing his bantamweight title to Merab Dvaliashvili who took the crown by unanimous decision.
It was a devastating blow for ‘Suga’, one which boxing star Haney was quick to throw back in his face on social media.
He wrote: “O’Malley b***h a*s lost.”
O’Malley quickly responded just hours after the loss: “Still kill you.”
Haney then had the final say replying with a laughing face emoji, as if not at all believing the UFC star would beat him in a clash.
Prior to his recent defeat, the ex-UFC champion had vowed to cross over to the boxing ring in the future.
He had even identified ‘The Dream’ as a potential opponent, suggesting he would be an ‘easy’ fight despite never officially being beaten as a professional.
The American didn’t hit back to the original call-out but a showdown could now be that much more likely, given a feud has been sparked.
Haney himself has been out of action since his overturned loss to Ryan Garcia, another name O’Malley has beckoned to fight in the squared circle.
It is unclear what is next for the former undisputed champion, but he has teased an appearance before the end of 2025.
Now O’Malley himself faces a big rebuild following the defeat in Sin City, and he will hope to return into the title mix.
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His immediate future lies with the UFC, but a future appearance in the boxing ring may not be ruled out given his striking ability.
Several fighters from the roster have made their way into boxing following the conclusion of their contracts including Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal and Tyron Woodley.
And renowned boxing coach Teddy Atlas believes O’Malley’s skills signal a potential future in the different discipline.
“He can cross over because he has the instinct, the talent, the abilities of a boxer, a pure boxer,” Atlas said.
“He’s got quick hands. He’s versatile, and he can use the ring and move around and get angles.
“He can set traps. He’s a great, great natural counter-puncher. If you wait in front of him, he gets out first and puts punches together – smart and educated punches.
“Smart combinations, up and down. Tricking combinations. They’re advanced combinations, they’re not primitive combinations. They’re not just basic combinations, they’re combinations of a top fighter.
“He’s that smooth. He’s that natural with it, that comfortable with it. He controls range and distance beautifully, and he can punch.
“He gets good power. Wiry guys usually can’t get good power.”
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