Devin Haney reclaimed his pound-for-pound status in 2025, while Manny Pacquiao, at age 46, proved all over again why he's one of the best to ever do it. So who earns the title of boxing's comeback fighter of 2025?
Ryan Garcia’s thrashing of Devin Haney inflicted something greater than a momentary blemish on the 28-year-old’s résumé. By the time 2024 closed, Haney had endured a nightmarish narrative collapse.
Garcia dropped him multiple times in the April 2024 fight itself, leaving Haney badly hurt, visibly shaken and perhaps fortuitous to have heard the final bell. Public opinion was immediate and unforgiving: Garcia had exposed Haney as chinny and overrated. Haney's previous wins over George Kambosos, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Regis Prograis? Suddenly dismissed at best, if not forgotten entirely.
Even though Garcia tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, which turned the fight into a no-contest, the damage was done. No lab result could erase the image of Haney suffering those brutal knockdowns again and again. To make matters worse, Garcia's erratic behavior outside of the ring, from his feral pre-fight behavior to his social media antics, dragged Haney into a clown show the former undisputed lightweight champion never belonged in, in the first place.
Boxing insiders banished Haney from their pound-for-pound lists, if they had even ranked him, and he was no longer regarded as the elite technician he once was.
Filing a lawsuit against Garcia didn’t help things either, as Haney alleged battery, fraud, breach of contract and unjust enrichment tied to his opponent’s drug test and conduct. Haney argued that Garcia violated the spirit of their agreement — specifically clean and fair competition — resulting in physical injury, reputational harm and financial damage. Though Haney later dropped the lawsuit, the damage, again, lingered. Not for the one who tested positive for a banned substance, but for the athlete who defied the code in a sport whose fans expect scores to be settled in the ring, rather than a court.
Well, what a difference a year can make.
In 2025, Haney bounced back with two fights to have his Roy Jones Jr.-esque "Y’all Must've Forgot" moment, picking up two brilliant wins against top-tier opponents to cement himself as Uncrowned’s Comeback Fighter of the Year.
Haney wasn't the only fighter to author an extraordinary comeback. Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring in July at age 46, rolling back the years with a stunning display against Mario Barrios — only to be denied a win on the scorecards and given a majority-draw verdict instead. But while Pacquiao’s return carried immense historical and emotional weight, Haney’s comeback demanded something different.
Regardless of the result, Pacquiao’s legacy was already secure. As an eight-division world champion, his career was already defined by era-shaping fights against Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather.
Against Barrios, considering everything he'd already achieved, Pacquiao had nothing to lose.
Haney, by contrast, was supposed to be in the middle of his prime years and suddenly scrapping for relevance.
Against Jose Ramirez in May, Haney boxed with discipline and controlled the tempo against a veteran pressure fighter and former unified champion to remind observers that his fundamentals and ring IQ remained elite. Fierce critics continued to follow Haney around, though, but even they couldn't deny how meaningful his dominance over Brian Norman Jr. was in November.
Norman had just posted a Knockout of the Year contender against Jin Sasaki and was expected by some to trouble Haney. Instead, the under-fire fighter handled the younger, aggressive titleholder with his customary composure, answering questions about his resilience in style. Haney fought more aggressively against Norman, floored him with a second-round combination, and, at least in the first half of that fight, produced some of the best boxing the sport saw all year.
With scores of 114-113, 117-110 and 116-111, Haney inflicted the maiden defeat on Norman's record and became a three-weight world champion in the process.
What’s more is that, with the two wins combined, he put the Garcia loss and its subsequent drama in the rear-view mirror, and now looks ahead to what could be an even bigger 2026 for himself and his brand.
Haney, through his father and trainer Bill, has targeted WBA welterweight champion Rolly Romero, but there is still an obvious mega-fight to be made — a rematch with Garcia.
Both bouts could happen in 2026, and, should he succeed, Haney would not only unify world titles again, but secure the most significant revenge of his career.
Judging by his recent form, few may now bet against him, because Haney turned a year that once threatened his standing into one that reinforced it. Because in 2025, Haney reasserted himself as one of the best fighters in America, and reclaimed his place among the sport’s elite.
Category: General Sports
