Devin Haney has silenced the doubts that surrounded him in the last 18 months, responding forcefully to each of them last Saturday.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) was crowned world champion in three categories in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by defeating Brian Norman Jr (28-1, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision, obtaining the WBO welterweight championship. The judges scored the 147-pound fight with cards of 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113. This was Haney’s first appearance at 147 pounds, as his last fight was at a contracted weight of 144 pounds.
This victory marks a kind of resurgence in Haney’s career, who faced questions about his ability to withstand punches, avoid elite left hooks, and his ability to gain weight, especially after being knocked down three times in a majority decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024. Although the loss was changed to “no decision” after Garcia tested positive for a performance-enhancing 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 proved to be willing to take punches from one of the hardest hitters in the division, Norman Jr., but also showed that he can hit hard at this weight. He used a right hand to knock down Norman Jr. in the second round and then maintained control. His jab caused problems for Norman Jr. throughout the night, and surprised many by deciding to fight in the center of the ring and connect effective counter hooks.
Norman Jr., who produced a “Knockout of the Year” candidate earlier this year against Jin Sasaki, was never able to match Haney’s speed or ring control. He achieved some success in the middle rounds, attempting to force a more physical fight, but consistently had no answer for 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 wélter de la OMB el sábado por la noche, convirtiéndose en campeón de tres divisiones. Foto de Richard Pelham/Getty ImagesThe victory opens up a range of possibilities for Haney, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday. His father, Bill Haney, did not offer a name immediately after the fight, but a rematch with Garcia would undoubtedly be the most prominent.
García (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 García had won, the rematch with Haney would probably have been set.
We are ready to face anyone. Welterweight is a category I’m supposed to be in for a long time. My father has been telling me that I needed to gain weight for a long time. I’m here to stay at 147 for a long time.
