Dare to doubt Devin Haney again at your own risk..
Making a bold move up to the welterweight division, Haney delivered a master class against the man considered the most dangerous puncher in the division to become a three-division champion.
Haney of Las Vegas (33-0, 15 KOs) scored a knockdown in the second round, going on to win a decision with surprising ease over Brian Norman Jr. of Atlanta (28-1, 22 KOs), handing Norman Jr. his first knockdown and first loss. Scores were 117-110, 116-111, and a narrow 114-113 outlier.
“In 2024, I lost everything. Everything came crashing on me. In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m coming for everything,” said Haney after his victory.
Haney Returns To Previous Form – With Pop
After Haney’s truly dreadful performance against Jose Ramirez in June, and the drubbing at the hands of Ryan Garcia despite it being rendered a no-contest, Haney was the underdog. The outcome all depended on which version of Haney would show up.
Haney was the version of himself that defeated Vasiliy Lomachenko and George Kambosos Jr., but dressed up in a stronger physique. He deployed all the skills fans have seen in his best wins. But he added more power with the move up to welterweight, a move that in retrospect was long in coming.
“You know, 147 is the weight class that I was supposed to be at for a long time,” acknowledged Haney. “My dad (and trainer, Bill Haney) has been telling me it’s time to move up for a long time, but there was just so much at stake at 135 and 140. But I’m here to say I’m at 147 for a long time.”
Brian Norman Jr. Defanged by Haney Jab
Norman Jr. won over boxing observers with his surprising beatdown of favored Giovani Santillan and delivered what may hold up as Knockout of the Year over Jin Sasaki of Japan in June.
But Haney effectively muzzled Norman Jr. fighting behind his jab. The fight turned quickly in the second round when Haney scored the knockdown on a hard check left hook following a right hook. With a minute left in the round, Haney unloaded on Norman Jr., who was covering up as blood poured from his nose.
With Norman Jr. rattled and shellshocked, Haney and his father Bill stuck to a smart game plan, fighting behind the jab with renewed confidence. Haney had the big punching Norman Jr. backing up. “You’re breaking his punk ass down,” said Bill Haney after the third round.
Norman Jr. had trouble breathing from his damaged nose, just as Fernando Martinez did against Bam Rodriguez on the undercard. While trying to get himself together mentally, Haney kept his jab going in a good rhythm, winning round after round. Bill Haney reminded Devin it was a 12-round fight.
Norman Jr.’s trainer, also his father, Norman Sr., asked, “Are you locked in?” after the eighth round. To his credit, Norman Jr. didn’t check out and found a second wind. He began to win rounds. Haney did the right thing by sticking and moving, giving Norman Jr. nothing to work with.
Norman Jr. was too far behind on the scorecards. He knew he had to go for broke in the final round, but Haney moved and held when needed to cruise to the win. It was too little, too late.
In a video Norman Jr. posted to social media from his dressing room after the fight, he was in good spirits, calling the knockdown a “flash knockdown,” promising he would be back.
“I love y’all, I appreciate y’all. You best believe I’ll stop at nothing. I’ll come back even harder, and I promise he’ll see about the real deal soon.
New Day for Devin Haney
It was a new day dawning for Devin Haney, fighting at 5 a.m. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Haney said of Norman Jr., “He came out exactly how we planned. So, I was able to capitalize. But after I hurt him and dropped him, he made an adjustment. So, then we had to adjust to that as well.
“But he’s a true champion. He’s definitely better than I expected, but I give him credit for that. Thank you for the opportunity, to give me the opportunity to become champion again,” said Haney.
Conor Benn Dismisses Devin Haney’s Performance
Haney and his father demurred when asked who Haney would like to fight next. The welterweight titles are currently in the hands of Mario Barrios, Lewis Crocker, and Rolly Romero.
The other hot ticket in the division is Conor Benn. After a stunning win of his own last Saturday in London over Chris Eubank Jr., Benn made it clear he intends to return to the welterweight division to win a title.
Benn was sitting ringside with Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn. Caught on camera, Benn trolled Haney’s performance by pretending to fall asleep on Hearn’s shoulder.
After the fight, Benn had a scorching critique of Haney’s win.
“I mean, listen, he caught a good shot early. I mean, it weren’t really a great performance, in my opinion,” said Benn. “He looked scared of his own shadow in there. He didn’t really want to engage.
“You know, he’s happy to nick rounds and nick fights,” Benn continued. “But for me, yeah, there weren’t no entertainment in there. And it’s the entertainment business. Ultimately, I give people Fight of the Year contenders. He puts people to sleep. I’m not talking about in the ring.”
Hearn agreed with Benn a fight with Haney wasn’t something either man wants to pursue.
“Look, he wants to fight for the world title. You got to give Devin Haney credit and respect. I mean, he’s just become a three division world champion, but no one’s going to want to watch him fight. I mean, he’s just, he’s fighting scared. He doesn’t want to engage at any moment during the fight.”
Hearn said Haney spoke to him from the ring and said he told the fighter, “You got to switch it up. You can’t keep fighting like that, because no one’s going to want to tune in and watch,” and said he won’t be the man Benn plans to call out.
“Rolly Romero? He can get it, no problem. That’d be a fun fight. That excites me,” said Benn. “Ryan (Garcia) excites me.
Referring to Haney, Benn scoffed, “You see that in there? I don’t want to give people that. What, scared fighter? He’s scared of his own shadow. He didn’t even want to throw a jab in case his own jab caught him back!”
Conor’s always going to be in an exciting fight, but he’s got his eyes on that WBC strap” held by Mario Barrios, said Hearn. “I mentioned the other champions, Rolly Romero, Louis Crocker, he’s like, just give me that WBC,” said Hearn. With Barrios reportedly slated to fight Ryan Garcia in February, Hearn and Benn said they’d love a Cinco de Mayo matchup with the winner for the belt in Las Vegas.
“I just want to give people the fight they want,” said Benn. “I’ll give the fans what they want. And that’s Fight of the Year contenders, that’s value for money, that’s vulnerability, that’s knockouts.”
Devin Haney Deserves Respect, Not Doubters
But the night belonged to the winner. Haney has his detractors, but he deserves credit for taking on every big name available to him: Linares, Gamboa, Kambosos Jr., Lomachenko, Prograis, and infamously, Ryan. And now, Brian Norman Jr. He is still just 27 years old, and he is eager to start the next chapter.