Bill Haney ‘WILL be in Melbourne for son Devin’s undisputed fight against George Kambosos Jr’

Bill Haney will be in attendance for his son’s tilt at greatness this weekend after the boxing coach was granted a visa to enter Australia, reports claim. 

Devin Haney, 23, will attempt to become undisputed lightweight champion when he takes on unified lightweight king George Kambosos Jr at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon local time.

The WBC franchise champion agreed to travel Down Under without his father and trainer Bill, with his mentor barred from entering Australia due to a drug conviction obtained 30 years ago.

The 23-year-old and his team had made plans to bring his father close to the action on the night, with a Bill-Bot – a four-wheeled contraption with an iPad attached – created to keep Haney Sr involved from afar on the night.

Haney Jr’s team also saw a request to use an earpiece designed to provide live feedback from his father between rounds rejected by the boxing commission, with Kambosos Jr refusing to allow his rival to use the technology. 

However, Boxing Scene reports that the Australian Government has granted Haney Sr a visa and he will travel to Melbourne in an eleventh-hour boost for the WBC title holder.

Devin Haney’s father Bill (R) has reportedly been granted a visa to enter Australia 

Haney travelled Down Under without his father, due to him being barred from entering for a drug conviction obtained 30 years ago

However, reports claim that a last-minute U-turn has seen Haney Sr granted a visa and he will fly out to Melbourne in an eleventh-hour boost for the WBC champion

Kambosos Jr had refused to grant Haney permission to use an earpiece during the fight

Haney Jr had roped in Yoel Judah – father of former champion Zab Judah – to replace Bill for this fight, but the last-minute U-turn is likely to see the stand-in coach step back. 

Bill admitted prior to the latest development that there were ‘a lot of emotions’ involved when he bid goodbye to his son at Las Vegas airport earlier this month and admitted the magnitude of the fight hit home after Devin flew to Australia.

‘It’s the biggest moment of his boxing life, and it’s become more real now that Devin has stepped out to take care of man’s business,’ he told USA Today.