Brian Norman Jnr-Devin Haney offers a stew of appetizing nuance

Intriguing, with high stakes and superb talent, the Brian Norman Jnr-Devin Haney WBO welterweight title fight planned for November in Saudi Arabia possesses so many ingredients of a classic.

In a meeting of unbeatens – belt holder Norman, 24, is 28-0 with 22 KOs, while former two-division champion Haney, 26, is 32-0 with 15 KOs – the bout affirms the fighting desire of both men as they risk their “0.”

“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” ProBox TV analyst Chris Algieri said on Tuesday’s episode of “BoxingScene Today.” “Devin Haney is going after the big fights. He wanted the Teofimo Lopez fight and now the Brian Norman fight is happening. … Devin Haney going for the toughest fights. He’s at an age now, they’re unleashing him, and Brian Norman Jnr is a tough fight.”

Georgia’s Norman distinguished himself by putting himself in position to claim the vacated WBO belt last year when he ventured to Giovanni Santillan’s hometown to knock him out in San Diego in May 2024. Then he visited Jin Sasaki’s home country of Japan and delivered a vicious knockout.

Sasaki reportedly lost six weeks of memory due to that destructive blow.

“It’s a big step up for [Norman], he’ll get the best from Haney,” said Robert Garcia, ProBox TV analyst and 2024 Trainer of the Year. “Norman is dangerous. He beat my guy [Santillan] in a way I never expected. I can’t wait for that fight.”

Host Jimmy Smith mentioned the boxing axiom that if a fighter like Haney has proven to be vulnerable to power blows – see those three knockdowns in an April 2024 no-contest against PED-positive Ryan Garcia – the best strategy is to land heavy blows on that fighter.

“That’s 100 per cent good advice,” Robert Garcia said. “Land anywhere to get Haney’s attention.”

The November date has yet to be finalized, an official involved in the negotiations told BoxingScene. 

Garcia said he’s currently leaning toward Haney to win even though Haney is coming off a highly tentative showing in defeating the Garcia-trained former 140lbs titleholder Jose Ramirez on May 2 at New York’s Times Square.

“This is a good boxer with good speed, and Haney knows how to use his reach,” Garcia said.

Algieri agreed: “Norman’s looked good in these last couple fights, but not in the couple before that. Santillan and Sasaki were there to be hit. I have to think Team Haney sees that space for [Norman] to be outboxed. I’m leaning on seeing Devin Haney putting on a boxing exhibition.”

Garcia expects Haney’s movement and jab will allow him to “take a lot of rounds.”

With unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis moving up to 154lbs and Manny Pacquiao, 46, fighting WBC titlist Mario Barrios Jnr for that belt, the opening is there for the November winner to declare himself the top fighter in the division that also counts WBA belt holder Rolando “Rolly” Romero.

“I’m very excited about this real competitive fight,” Algieri said.

Lance Pugmire is BoxingScene’s senior U.S. writer and an assistant producer for ProBox TV. Pugmire has covered boxing since the early 2000s, first at the Los Angeles Times and then at The Athletic and USA Today. He won the Boxing Writers’ Association of America’s Nat Fleischer Award in 2022 for career excellence.