Devin Haney says he’s going to display his “whole arsenal” in his title challenge against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. this Saturday night, November 22nd, in their bout on DAZN PPV. He says he wants to show that he can “fight on the inside.”
(Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) has to try something different because he can’t win if he’s just running around the ring, throwing a handful of jabs every round on Saturday against the big puncher Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs). That approach isn’t going to work with the judges unless they want to give rounds based on his keep-away jabs over the hard power shots Norman Jr. will be throwing.
Haney vs. Norman Jr. will be fighting in the 12-round chief support bout this Saturday, November 22nd, on the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde card at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Turki’s Eyes on Devin
The Haney-Norman Jr. co-feature fight has created the most attention by far on this loaded card. Turki Alalshikh will be in the crowd watching, which is another reason why it’s important that Haney show more ambition than he did in his last fight on May 2nd, 2025, against Jose Ramirez in Times Square, New York.
“I’m going to go in there and put on a great performance, show how great I really am, and become champion again,” said Devin Haney to DAZN Boxing, discussing his fight against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. on Saturday.
Brian Sr. Questions Haney’s Smarts
For today’s interview, Haney appeared to have prepared for it, as he came up with new lines than the ones he’s been using in repeated interviews. He’d sounded like a broken record, repeating, “I’m levels above” and “I will come out victorious by any means.”
It’s good that Haney didn’t use those tired lines because even the Normans had noticed it. That was the premise for Brian Norman Sr. questioning Devin’s intelligence.
“For this training camp, I had to take it up a few matches and really push myself,” said Haney. “I don’t take tune-up fights. I want to prove myself. I want to become champion, get back on the throne, and get back to the pound-for-pound list where I once was.”
Devin was in a position where he couldn’t take a tune-up. According to Norman Sr., the $32 million, three-fight contract that Haney signed with Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season put him in a position where he has no option but to take dangerous fights that he could lose. He’d already been given a gimme against Jose Ramirez last May.
“I’m going to have to bring out my whole arsenal. I want to show that I can box. I want to show that I can fight on the inside. I want to show that experience really matters. I think Brian Norman will feel my power, but what really separates me in this fight is my skillset. He will see something he’s never seen before on fight night,” said Haney.
It would be a good idea for Haney to show some offense against Norman Jr. on Saturday. There are too many eyes that will be on him in this fight, and the worst thing he could do is turn in a Jerry-esque fight, making Turki regret having used him for this event.
If Devin is going to lose the fight, he should look brave and go out like a hero rather than run from the battlefield. That’s one thing fans can’t respect. It’s better to show courage in the face of superior forces than give up and run.
Bill Looks Nervous for a Reason
“They in trouble, and you’re going to see a whole different Devin on a different level,” said a defensive-looking Bill Haney about what’s in store for Norman Jr.
In a rarity, Bill was lost for words and did not say much when asked about his comments on the fight. Whether that was intentional or the nerves getting to him is unknown. He’s got to be feeling nervous about what his son, Devin, is up against.
All the years of bringing him along, it could be up in smoke if he gets annihilated by Norman Jr. It wouldn’t necessarily be the end of Haney’s career. It would definitely widen the cracks in the facade that we’ve been seeing since his loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024.
