Devin Haney says he’s going to indicate that he’s “ranges above” Brian Norman Jr. when he challenges him for his WBO welterweight title in 83 days on November twenty second in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Haney made the identical “ranges above” phrase forward of his battle towards Ryan Garcia final 12 months on April 20, 2024, and that conflict didn’t work out nicely for him. He’s recycling the phrase for Norman Jr.’s battle.
Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) states that his superior expertise as an expert locations him above the youthful, much less skilled 24-year-old Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs), who hasn’t confronted the opposition like those Devin has fought.
Norman Jr. will defend towards the previous two-division world champion Haney on the undercard of David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde on DAZN PPV on the ANB Area in Riyadh.
Haney’s Ranges Above Declare
“I’m going to indicate that I’m ranges above him. I’ve been preventing these guys on the prime degree, one of the best of one of the best fighters within the prime degree for a while now,” mentioned Devin Haney to Ring Journal, speaking about his view that he’s extra skilled towards high-level opposition than WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr.
Haney has fought one glorious opponent in his 10-year skilled profession, Vasily Lomachenko. The opposite “greatest fighters” that Devin is alluding to are of reasonable high quality on account of flaws of their sport or age.
Haney’s Finest Opponents
Vasily Lomachenko
Ryan Garcia
Jose Ramirez
George Kambosos Jr
Regis Prograis
Jorge Linares
Yuriorkis Gamboa
Joseph Diaz Jr.
Alfredo Santiago
Zaur Abdullaev
Antonio Moran
Juan Carlos Burgos
Mason Menard
The image that Haney is portray is of Norman Jr., who isn’t in the identical galaxy as him, experience-wise and talent-wise, forward of their November twenty second battle. It’s unclear if he truly believes it.
The Psychological Recreation Begins
If that is only a transfer by Devin to create self-doubt in Norman Jr’s thoughts to make him unwilling to throw punches and assault, it’s price a strive. On paper, it is a troublesome battle for Haney on account of Norman’s energy, aggression, youth, and starvation. He hasn’t made the cash that Haney has, which might make him one of many ultra-wealthy class.
Devin has extra expertise towards higher opposition than Norman Jr. There’s no query about that. Nevertheless, solely certainly one of his fights happened at welterweight, and that was towards former gentle welterweight champion Jose Ramirez. He’s late in his profession at 33, and had misplaced his earlier battle towards Arnold Barboza Jr. by a 10-round unanimous choice on November 16, 2024.
“I’m the primary man on the prime that he’s fought. I genuinely don’t know one individual that he’s beat,” mentioned Haney about Norman Jr.
Norman’s 5 Final Opponents
Jin Sasaki
Derrieck Cuevas
Giovani Santillan
Janelson Figueroa Bocachica
Quinton Randall
“That’s why we took the battle, as a result of we predict Norman will knock out Haney. Who’s the fighter that Haney knocked out? He hasn’t had a knockout in a very long time,” mentioned High Rank promoter Bob Arum to Sean Zittel’s channel.
It’s been six years since Haney final stopped an opponent when he defeated Zaur Abdullaev by a fourth-round stoppage on September 13, 2019. That was 10 fights in the past. If Haney can’t knock out Norman Jr., he may very well be in for an extended evening. Devin must transfer and maintain for 12 rounds like he did in his fights towards Jose Ramirez and George Kambosos Jr.
The No-Motion Mandate
With Haney-Norman Jr. on Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season card on November twenty second, Turki’s no-Tom-and-Jerry mandate will likely be in impact for that battle. It might be a foul concept for Haney to show in the same Jerry-esque efficiency that he did on Turki’s occasion earlier this 12 months on Could 2, 2025, at Instances Sq. in New York.
Followers extensively criticized Haney’s efficiency for the quantity of motion he confirmed. They created brief sped-up clips of Haney working across the ring, not throwing punches, and searching timid.
“It’s very harmful for Haney; he nonetheless doesn’t have a chin like Ryan Garcia. Haney, perhaps he can run all evening, however the factor is it’s about chin,” mentioned former three-division world champion Jorge Linares on X, questioning Devin’s punch resistance going into his battle towards Norman Jr.
Boxing Information 24 » Devin Haney Faces a Efficiency Reckoning as He Should Abandon His Evasive Type to Beat Brian Norman Jr.
Final Up to date on 08/31/2025
