Haney Conquers Welterweight: Three-time World Champion After Defeating Norman Jr.

Devin Haney conquers the WBO welterweight title and consolidates himself as a champion in three divisions

Devin Haney has answered the doubts that arose in the last 18 months, demonstrating his worth in the ring. On Saturday, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) was crowned world champion in three categories, by defeating Brian Norman Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision and obtaining the welterweight title of the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The judges awarded the victory to Haney with scores of 117-110, 116-111, and 114-113 in a 147-pound fight. This was Haney’s first official appearance in the 147-pound category, following his last fight at a contracted weight of 144 pounds. This victory represents a resurgence for Haney, who faced questions about his ability to withstand punches and avoid the elite left hook, as well as his adaptation to the weight increase, especially after being knocked down three times in a majority decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024. Although the defeat became a “no decision” after Garcia’s positive test for a performance-enhancing substance, doubts about Haney’s resilience and mentality persisted.

In 2024, I lost everything. Everything collapsed. In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m going for everything.

Devin Haney

Haney, originally from Miami, not only proved willing to take punches from one of the division’s hardest hitters, but also demonstrated his ability to attack at this weight. In the second round, he connected with a right hand that sent Norman to the canvas and maintained control of the fight. His jab caused problems for Norman throughout the night, and surprised many by standing firm in the center of the ring and connecting effective hooks. Norman, who starred in a “Knockout of the Year” candidate earlier in 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.

The victory opens up a range of possibilities for Haney, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday. His father, Bill Haney, did not immediately mention a possible rival after the fight, but a rematch with Garcia would undoubtedly be the most media-covered matchup. Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) has also moved up to the welterweight category since his fight with Haney. He lost to Rolando Romero by unanimous decision in a fight for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) title in May. If Garcia had won, the rematch with Haney would probably have been set. Haney stated: “We are prepared to face anyone. [Welterweight] is a category I should have been in for a long time. My father has been telling me that I needed to gain weight for a long time. I am here to stay at 147 for a long time.”