Ryan Garcia is siding with Devin Haney to unseat WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. in 11 days on November 22nd, predicting that he “frustrates” him to come out victorious in Riyadh.
Not surprisingly, the oddsmakers have Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) as the betting favorite in this fight against Haney on DAZN PPV. The difference between the two fighters’ recent performances is like night and day.
Ryan Needs Haney to Win — Badly
Haney has turned in back-to-back dreadful efforts against Jose Ramirez and Ryan Garcia. He looked like a classic example of a shell-shocked fighter, broken mentally, with confidence gone and not coming back.
With Norman Jr, he looked like pure gold, obliterating Jin Sasaki in five rounds and Derriek Cuevas in three. The way Devin looked in those two fights, it’s questionable if he’d even beat Cuevas or Sasaki. He looked that bad against Ramirez and Ryan.
I confident that Devin Haney wins!!
Reasoning is simply exp and I feel he will figure it out
It’s not about speed or power in this
I think Devin just frustrates Norman
Norman can very much prove me wrong we will see
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) November 11, 2025
Right now, Ryan really needs Haney to beat Norman Jr. in the worst way, because he’s heading for Skid Row. His career is hanging by a thread right now. What fans want to know is Ryan Garcia’s confidence in Haney, genuine or self-serving, because he needs the rematch. With Ryan needy right now, it’s hard not to see this as a self-serving prediction on his part.
Can Haney’s Movement Really Neutralize Norman?
The Jerry-esque style that Haney used against the painfully slow Jose Ramirez last May was effective, but he was facing an old veteran, long in the tooth. Can Haney really “frustrate” Brian Norman Jr., or will Norman’s power and jab overwhelm him? Norman Jr’s jab is like a power punch, and he has the reach advantage in this fight.
Haney’s Low-Output Problem Could Be Fatal Here
The movement that Haney used against Ramirez did little to show that he was dominating the action. It not only neutralized Ramirez’s offense, but it also worked against Haney’s own output. Devin landed 70 of 224 punches for a 31.3% rate in the Ramirez fight. When a fighter is only landing 70 punches in an entire 12-round fight, it’s a signal that they’re failing. He can’t get away with that against a big puncher like Norman Jr. and expects to be given the win by the judges.
The upset victory Garcia scored against Haney last year might as well have been a million years ago, because everything has changed. That brief shining moment he showed in that fight has been forgotten. That was his Cinderella story in which he looked great. He’s now reverted to the flawed fighter he was before.
Rematch Stakes: Haney Win Keeps Ryan Alive
A victory for Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) opens the door for a mega-million rematch for Ryan (24-2, 20 KOs). He needs that fight right about now after being dominated by Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero in a humiliating 12-round unanimous decision on May 2, 2025, at Times Square in New York. Kingry looked like a timid shell of himself in that fight.
If Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) gets knocked out by Norman Jr on November 22nd, it’s going to take the rematch with Garcia off the table. Turki Alalshikh likely won’t want to finance a Garcia-Haney rematch under those conditions, with Devin coming off a KO loss and Ryan having lost his last fight.
“If you put Devin Haney in there with that lightweight speed, Brian Norman can go crazy trying to catch him. That could cause him to run into a shot, or if you base it on skills, I think Haney is the better fighter, the sharper fighter. I think Haney’s defense is better than Norman’s,” said trainer Greg Hackett to MillCity Boxing.
Norman Jr. has the reach on Haney and the better jab. So, it’s not like he’s going to have to chase him around the ring to land shots like Devin’s last opponent, Jose Ramirez, did. If Haney wants to turn the fight into a jabbing contest, it’s not going to work. Norman Jr. has the superior jab, and he’s got the power to end the night if Devin does get brave.
“I don’t think Norman’s defense is that crazy. He’s just a good fighter. I think there will be times where Devin will fight on the inside, and wrap him up,” said Hackett.