Haney at the Crossroads: Triumph over Norman or End of an Era?

Devin Haney: At a crossroads?

Devin Haney’s career, former undisputed lightweight champion at 26 years old, is at a crucial moment. Despite his notable achievements for his age, his trajectory has experienced an unexpected turn. 19 months ago, a left hook from Ryan Garcia altered Haney’s course. In a fight that ended in a no-decision due to a failed drug test by Garcia, Haney suffered three knockdowns. This event generated debates about his position as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers, despite not having suffered an official defeat. This Saturday, Haney will face Brian Norman, another young fighter with a dangerous left hook, seeking to close the chapter on what happened in April 2024 at the Barclays Center.

“This fight is super important because this is a guy they say is my kryptonite,” Haney commented. “They say he has a left hook, he’s powerful, he’s big, he’s everything. So a victory means everything to me. I will be champion again and I will put myself back on top, where I once was.”

Devin Haney

Haney’s current situation is partly due to a less-than-stellar performance in the last two years, including the fight against Garcia and an unconvincing victory over Jose Ramirez in May. A triumph over Norman, currently ranked as the best welterweight, could help shift attention away from the past and place Haney at the top of another division. However, a defeat could be devastating for his career, even before reaching his prime. Haney’s toughest night of his career was saved when the defeat against Garcia turned into a “no decision.” Despite this, the image of Haney being surpassed by Garcia’s left hook is what endures in memory. Now, facing a boxer with a potentially more powerful punch than Garcia’s is interpreted as an act of bravery or a wrong decision. Sergio Mora, former world champion and current commentator, expressed his doubts about Haney’s choice to face Norman. He believes that, after his fight with Garcia and an unremarkable performance against Ramirez, facing the strongest welterweight puncher is risky. Although he acknowledges that a victory could revitalize Haney’s image, he is not sure it is the right decision.

In recent years, Haney has faced constant criticism, regardless of his performances and whom he challenges. He was nicknamed “email champion” when, after Vasiliy Lomachenko’s decision not to fight him, Haney was promoted to full champion by the WBC in 2019. Mora considers this criticism unjustified. As an undefeated and decorated boxer, Haney should be the hunted, but he prefers to be the hunter.

“I practice what I preach,” Haney said. “All I want is to fight the best boxers in the world. Everyone I’ve challenged, once they say they want to fight me, the fight happens… Many of these boxers don’t do what I do. They challenge each other to get attention and show off. I challenge boxers so the fights happen.”

Devin Haney

Each time his image seemed to decline, Haney has responded with performances that silenced his detractors. Whether with the resounding victories over Kambosos in Australia in 2022 or the victory over Regis Prograis the following year, Haney has known how to silence his critics.

However, for every highlighted fight like Kambosos or Prograis, there are fights like García or Lomachenko that question their status and whether they are really as good as they say.

“People love to hate me,” Haney said in a 2023 interview. “I don’t know what it is. I embrace it now. What can I do? It’s me.”

Devin Haney

Haney is flashy outside the ring and, although he is a technically solid boxer, he is not always exciting inside it, which has generated comparisons with Floyd Mayweather. This style depends heavily on winning and remaining undefeated. Mora pointed out that Haney has followed a similar trajectory to Mayweather in facing champions. Furthermore, like Mayweather, he is more of a boxer than a puncher, but is willing to face punchers. Porter believes that Haney’s public image does not match his performances in the ring. Haney was considered part of the “Four Kings” of this era, along with Gervonta “Tank” Davis, Teofimo López, and García (with Shakur Stevenson also in the conversation). However, this group has not lived up to expectations as the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, and Roberto Durán did in the 1980s. So far, Haney has only fought García. Furthermore, the original “Four Kings” had distinctive qualities that set them apart, something that cannot be said of Haney. Porter, who trained with Haney, believes that his greatest quality was his instinct, but that he may have lost it in part. Haney’s ego led him to fight incorrectly against Garcia and to forget who he was. He needs to recover that quality against Norman. Haney was the favorite to beat Garcia, but he fell victim to his rival’s tactics. Despite Garcia not making weight and later testing positive for banned substances, Haney was unprepared for Garcia’s left hook. Mora believes Haney is still “shaken” by the fight with Garcia and is “afraid of being hit,” a terrible combination for a match against a puncher like Norman. However, that danger is what excites Haney. He doesn’t shy away from challenges, and the fight with Garcia taught him a valuable lesson about himself.

“You don’t know if a boxer can take a punch until he actually gets hit and you don’t know the heart of a boxer until he is tested,” Haney said. “And when my chin and my heart were tested, I showed up. I got up off the floor, not once, not twice, but three times. And I answered. I didn’t run. I fought like a warrior, and if I was going to go out that night, I was going to go out on my shield.”

Devin Haney

Mora and Porter disagree on whether Saturday’s fight is a turning point for Haney. Mora doesn’t believe a loss will erase everything Haney has achieved, while Porter believes that how Haney chooses to fight Norman will determine how he is perceived in the future. Both agree that, although a victory would take a weight off his shoulders, the risk could outweigh the reward. Porter praises Haney for getting in the ring with a dangerous champion who is not very well known, when he could have opted for a more accessible rival. However, Haney prefers to face danger head-on.