Former undisputed lightweight champion Devin Haney is embroiled in a legal battle with the mother of his infant daughter. On Wednesday, TMZ.com reported that Haney filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing Leena Sayed of extortion and defamation, escalating tensions between the two just months after the birth of their daughter, Khrome, in January.
The Dispute
Haney’s lawsuit comes in response to Sayed filing for a restraining order in late June. A Nevada judge granted a temporary order of protection after Sayed alleged Haney pushed her to the ground while she was pregnant and had abused her on multiple occasions over the prior 16 months. Haney, 26, has denied the allegations and countered that Sayed threatened to damage his reputation and restrict his visitation rights unless he paid more in child support. His suit seeks unspecified damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Attorneys Respond
Haney’s attorney, Bobby Samini, defended his client’s reputation in a statement to TMZ:
“Devin Haney has lived his life and built his career with integrity, discipline and respect. He has worked tirelessly to achieve success through dedication, not shortcuts, and he remains committed to conducting himself with honesty and principle inside and outside the ring.”
In the lawsuit, Haney claimed Sayed “repeatedly published false and defamatory statements” and called her actions “extreme and outrageous.”
Sayed’s lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, pushed back, emphasizing that his client is simply pursuing what the law requires:
“I think Mr. Haney would be best served to make his case to the family court, and not the court of social media.”
What’s Next
Haney and Sayed are expected in court in early September for a hearing tied to her restraining order request. The legal wrangling comes as Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) prepares for a major return to the ring. The Oakland native is scheduled to challenge unbeaten WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC) on November 22 in the co-feature of The Ring IV in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
For now, Haney finds himself fighting on two fronts one inside the courtroom and another inside the ring.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
