Tunde Ajayi held pads for WBC junior welterweight world champion Devin Haney, as the 26-year-old entertained fans in an impromptu open workout session at the famed Peacock Gym, east London.

In town for The Ring's awards show last weekend, the Las Vegas resident engaged in a media scrum and took pictures with a hoard of fans after a ten-minute pads session led by an old friend in Anthony Yarde's head trainer Ajayi, who has known him since his adolescent days before becoming a household name worldwide.

Ajayi, who had Yarde and another of his stable in BOXXER signed light-middleweight Joel Kodua (7-0) watching on, embraced the role of conductor and played up to the crowd as Haney threw single shots in quick succession to finish an eagerly-anticipated session where cameras and phones were transfixed on the ring.

Bill was a proud cheerleader for his son too, repeatedly proclaiming he remains the world's best and will prove exactly that in due course.

One overzealous fan shouted several names in-and-around his weight, from WBO and Ring champion Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) and former foe Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) to Alberto Puello (23-0, 10 KOs) and even welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs). Bill's response? "Ain't nobody better, anybody can get it!"

Afterwards, Ajayi spoke to The Ring and particularly expressed excitement for Haney's return in 2025 at the end of a week where the former undisputed lightweight king announced he'd be returning in March, almost a year on from his controversial matchup against Garcia.

"Devin's undefeated, I know people say things and you get lawsuits... but he's still undefeated, it was proven the guy [Garcia] who supposedly beat him was on a performance-enhancing drug [ostarine], he's still got that confidence and today you saw he's still got that flair and cocky attitude you need to be where he is.

"This year will be amazing, so many challenges out there for him but he was born to be a superstar and made for this. God tests his greatest soldiers the hardest, going through everything where he thought he'd lost and then finding out the guy cheated, it's tough mentally and now that he's overcome it... great things are coming."

Garcia's year-long suspension doesn't expire until April 20 and all being well, Haney will have made his return by then - either on a BLK Prime show or a Riyadh Season sponsored card, judging by Turki Alalshikh's public desire to see a rematch happen.

Ajayi's eyes lit up on the topic of Haney boxing in the UK, given how it took him "barely ten minutes" to set up an open workout after a phone call from Devin's father Bill. Their relationship is a long-lasting one and the door has always been open for Ajayi in the Haney's team, though logistics haven't yet made it a reality.

"Someone called me the fixer today, I make things happen! If they wanna fight here, Bill knows I'll sort it out, talk to any promoter and get it done. It's about Devin and what he wants to do, he's in charge, his own man, Bill built him to be a free-thinking man and they are great examples for those coming up, father-son relationships in boxing can work."

"I remember training Devin in this very gym when he was 12, going over to Vegas, taking Ohara Davies, and Yarde among others, living in their mansion over a decade ago.

"Bill asked me to stay, gave me the option to live with them but I told him, I gotta attempt to create greatness in the UK - my family is here, it's not that time yet. This is just a reconnection, I haven't held pads for him in 14 years but from that [open workout], you'd think we train everyday. Devin said he couldn't believe it, that's how crazy it was."

Haney told in London that he'd fight anybody and his attitude hasn't changed, despite the social media ridicule coming after a first career defeat, one that has since been struck from the record, changed to a no-decision.

Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn deeming his demands too expensive for a comeback fight means a fantasy matchup with No. 2-ranked Ring junior welterweight Jack Catterall (30-1, 13 KOs) on UK soil will remain that for now, though the Chorley man - who boxes Arnold Barboza Jr (31-0, 11 KOs) on Feb. 15 - told The Ring he'd love that matchup in due course.

Existing WBO and Ring champion Lopez's contractual dispute with Top Rank means even if they were offered a more lucrative financial package, as his promoter Bob Arum insists has been the case, uncertainty over the 27-year-old's stance means there's no guarantees over matchmaking his next world title defence.