Brian Norman Jr. is amused that fans view Devin Haney as his “Kryptonite” going into their co-feature fight on November 22 on DAZN PPV in Riyadh. It annoys WBO welterweight champion Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) that people overlook his boxing ability and view Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) as vastly superior on the technical side.
Fans Still Doubting the Champ
The reason fans view Haney as the better fighter is due to how Norman Jr. struggled in his fights against Janelson Figueroa Bocachica and Quinton Randall. He did not look good in either of those fights. Norman Jr. was dropped in the first round by Bocachica (17-4-1, 11 KOs) in their fight on March 2, 2024.
“This is the former undisputed, two-division world champion. This is the right guy to do it against,” said Brian Norman Jr. to DAZN Boxing about his fight with Devin Haney. “We know for a fact that Devin Haney is not a slouch.”
The undefeated Haney is an excellent opponent for Norman Jr. to test his skills. Devin’s only career defeat is against Ryan Garcia in April of last year, and that was the well-documented situation of Kingry testing positive for a PED. So, Haney is still undefeated and will be looking to expose Norman Jr. as a hype job.
Haney’s Style: Hit and Run
Haney is the wrong type of fighter for Norman Jr. to defend against, because he’s not a come-forward type like his previous 28 opponents he’s faced during his seven-year pro career. The hit-and-not-get-hit style that Devin uses is going to force Norman Jr. to hunt the entire fight. That’s not going to be easy because he lacks quick feet.
“It’s a great opportunity for Devin to become a three-division champion. It’s three division champions,” said Bill Haney about his son Devin, poised to capture his third division title.
Haney Labeled His “Kryptonite”
“People say he is my kryptonite. He’s got feet. He’s got a jab. I don’t have feet. I don’t have a jab. At least that’s what they say. So, this is literally in my career where I hit that extra uh. This is exactly what I need, and I’m coming out for all of that,” said Norman Jr.
Fans don’t necessarily say Devin is “Kryptonite” for Norman Jr’s style. What they’re pointing out is that he has a big experience advantage over the Georgia native, which gives him a significant edge in this fight.
Brian Jr. hasn’t faced anywhere near the same level of opposition as Haney, and usually, that would be okay if he weren’t the WBO welterweight champion. Stepping up in this environment on a DAZN PPV card with the spotlight on him, it’s going to be tough for Norman Jr. Ideally, he should have fought top-tier opposition earlier to prepare him for Haney.
Norman Jr’s Best Career Wins
- Derrieck Cuevas
- Giovani Santillan
- Jin Sasaki
- Janelson Figueroa Bocachica
- Quinton Randalla
