Devin Haney has responded forcefully to the doubts that have arisen about his performance in the last 18 months. On Saturday, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Haney proved his worth by becoming a world champion in three weight categories.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) defeated Brian Norman Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision, securing the WBO welterweight championship. The judges scored it 117-110, 116-111, and 114-113 in favor of Haney in the 147-pound title fight. This was Haney’s first official appearance in this category, as his previous fight was at a catchweight of 144 pounds.
This victory represents a resurgence in Haney’s career, who had faced questions about his ability to withstand punches, avoid the left hook, and adapt to the weight increase, especially after his majority decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024, where he was knocked down three times. Although the defeat became a “no decision” after Garcia tested positive for a banned substance, doubts about Haney’s resilience and mentality persisted.
In 2024, I lost everything. Everything fell apart. In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m going for everything.
Devin HaneyHaney, from Miami, not only demonstrated his willingness to take punches from one of the division’s hardest hitters, Norman, but also showed his ability to attack at this weight. In the second round, a right hand from Haney knocked down Norman, and from then on, he maintained control. His jab caused problems for Norman throughout the night, and surprised many by deciding to fight in the center of the ring and connect effective counter hooks.
Norman, who previously competed for the knockout of the year against Jin Sasaki, never managed to match Haney’s speed or ring dominance. Although he had some moments of success in the intermediate rounds by attempting a more physical fight, he found no answer to Haney’s jab. His nose bled profusely from the second round, and his left eye began to swell in the final rounds.Devin Haney capturó el título de peso wélter de la OMB el sábado por la noche, convirtiéndose en campeón de tres divisiones.The victory opens up a range of possibilities for Haney, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday. His father, Bill Haney, did not want to mention names immediately after the fight, but a rematch with Garcia would undoubtedly be the most prominent matchup.
Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) has also moved up to welterweight since his fight with Haney. He lost to Rolando Romero by unanimous decision in a fight for the vacant WBA welterweight title in May. If Garcia had won, the rematch with Haney would probably have been set.
We are ready to face any rival. [Welterweight] is a category where I’m supposed to be for a long time. My father has told me that I needed to gain weight for a long time. I’m here to stay at 147 pounds for a long time.
