Devin Haney calls Teofimo Lopez his 'No 1 threat' but lashes out: 'His lies don't add up'

Devin Haney has laughed off Teofimo Lopez's taunts and insisted they must fight because "we need to know who the real king is".

Lopez, Haney, Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis are four undefeated Americans in their 20s at the sharp end of the lightweight division with a plethora of intriguing fights against each other in their futures.

IBF, WBA and WBO champion Lopez, who ousted Vasiliy Lomachenko, previously told Sky Sports: "Devin is scripted. But that's okay, we will help him in this process.

"I tried to save his career. I kid you not. Tried to protect his career. I told him to take three to five years."

WBC champion Haney has now told Sky Sports: "Why would he want to save my career? How does that benefit him? We aren't friends.

"This guy is a liar. Watch his interviews. He says one thing in one interview, then says a different thing in a different interview.

"One day he's going to send me and [his mandatory challenger] George Kambosos Jr a contract to see who signs it first.

"One day he's going to save my career. One day this, one day that.

"His lies don't add up."

Lopez is expected to face Kambosos Jr next but said about Haney: "He needs to take the fight [against me]. We will choose the date and month because we are the A-side. Understand the situation.

"He is younger than myself, he still has more development to do. He isn't the strongest guy at 135lbs. There are so many flaws in his game.

"But he is a tremendous - nobody outside of myself would beat him."

Haney says Lopez is his preferred opponent in a fascinating division: "Because I want all of the belts. We need to know who the real king is at 135lbs is. Who is the real undisputed champion?

"The only way to settle that is for us to fight.

"I see Teofimo as the No 1 threat then 'Tank' Davis. I feel like 'Tank' is really a 130lbs fighter. He had trouble with Yuriorkis Gamboa moving up in weight - he is a lot smaller than the other guys at 135lbs."

Davis holds a version of the WBA lightweight title while Garcia shone in a breakthrough performance by stopping Luke Campbell and is now reportedly in talks to fight Manny Pacquiao.

Haney said about his rivals: "The four kings are undefeated. We are the young guys coming up, the new era of boxing.

"They compare us to such a great era - Tommy Hearns, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and 'Sugar' Ray Robinson - but those guys fought each other.

"We're all young and have time but we've got to fight each other to stamp our names into the history books.

"All of them are huge fights."

Garcia became the mandatory challenger to Haney's WBC belt by beating Campbell.

Haney was ringside to watch his potential next opponent in the flesh but does not believe Garcia will yet be willing to meet in the ring.

"That's part of making these fights happen, pushing for it, letting the fans know that you want it," he said about attending Garcia's previous fight.

"I knew he wouldn't fight me. I hoped that, with him being my mandatory, he would fight me.

"Two guys fighting in a title eliminator and the winner not fighting the champion? I've never heard of it.

"We point fingers at the sanctioning bodies but you have to point fingers at the fighters because that's what is watering down the belts.

"Fighters don't really care about belts."

Haney said about Garcia recovering from an early knock-down to keep his unbeaten record intact: "I was surprised that he got knocked down because I expected him to blow Campbell out of the water. But Campbell didn't come to lie down.

"Garcia showed grit, heart and that he could get up and come back stronger."