WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr. seems to be swinging above his weight of late, demanding to take on all challengers from welterweight Terrence Crawford, and junior lightweight Gervonta Davis to lightweight Devin Haney.

The D.C.-based Russell Jr. (31-1, 18 KOs) has fought exclusively at 126 pounds for a better part of a decade, and now he’s trading a war of words with a mixed list of today’s top stars in higher weight classes.

The WBC lightweight titlist Haney (24-0, 15 KOs) has particularly caught the ire of Russell Jr. over the last week.

“Now he’s [Haney] saying that I’m trying to duck him? Stop playing,” Russell said on Instagram. “Since you playing with me, tell motherf----- Eddie [Hearn] to send the contract over. I already spoke to Al [Haymon]. Al said, ‘Gary, we have a good business relationship, but you can fight whoever you want’ … Al Haymon isn’t going to put any motherf----- money up to fight Devin Haney.

“If these guys are serious about it, tell them to send you a contract.’ So send me the contract. I’ll fight you for the $1.5 [million], and I’m going to beat your little ass, shorty.

“[Haymon] said, ‘Gary, you know, [Haney is] the champion. He’s the one that comes up with that. It’s the champion. The challenger doesn’t come up with the figures. So if he really wants to fight, tell him to send the contract.”

On Tuesday, the 21-year-old Haney tweeted: “I got the $1.5 [million], Gary. No stipulations; rematch clause only. I’m ready to beat yo ass! … I don’t play with my business and nothing is personal ... Ima beat all the CAP out of Gary, WATCH! & when I beat the dog sh-t out of him, watch him make every excuse in the book as he did with Loma.”

The 32-year-old Russell, whose lone career loss came to Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2014, offered his rebuke, adding that he would have no problem fighting on DAZN, the streaming service of which Haney exclusively fights on.

“If the fight doesn’t happen, Devin Haney is ducking,” said Russell Jr. “That’s some ducking sh-t right there. Don’t say, ‘Well, I’ll meet you at this number.’ Cool. You got it. ‘Now, you got to do this too.’ Nah, f--k that.

It doesn't work that way. If y’all want to make this fight, make it the $1.5 million with the only stipulations that should be in the contract is the rematch clause because how do you like it when I scorch his little ass.”

Haney also declared on Twitter on Tuesday that a contract was sent to Team Russell Jr. and that they were waiting to hear back.

Time will only tell whether or not this social spat led to something serious in the ring or if it was another case of plenty of smoke but no fire.

Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist and member of the Boxing Writers Assn. of America since 2011. He has written for the likes of the LA Times, Guardian, USA Today, Philadelphia Inquirer, Men’s Health and NFL.com. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan or via email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com.