Devin Haney disproved the theory that he couldn’t bring his resume into the ring for the perceived toughest challenge of his career.
A stunning second-round knockdown set the tone for Haney to outbox Brian Norman Jnr and claim the WBO 147lbs title in a masterclass performance. Scores were 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113 for Haney, who became a three-division titlist Saturday evening at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“In 2024, I lost everything,” Haney noted after his biggest win in years. “It came crashing on me. In 2025, I got it back. In 2026, I’m coming for everything.”
Haney, 33-0 (15 KOs), carried a chip on his shoulder throughout the promotion, from the moment he immediately agreed to terms to face Norman, 28-1 (22 KOs). It was actually the third option for Haney, after plans fell through for pursued showdowns with Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Teofimo Lopez Jnr.
The confidence spoke volumes considering that Haney was nearly two years removed from his previous win worth talking about.
After a December 2023 shutout of Regis Prograis to win the WBC 140lbs belt and become a two-division titlist, Haney’s 2024 campaign was limited to the disastrous night with Ryan Garcia. Their clash last April saw Haney floored three times, though he avoided what was originally ruled a majority decision defeat when Garcia’s multiple positive drug tests prompted the New York State Athletic Commission to change the verdict to a no-contest.
Haney retained the WBC 140lbs title through it all because Garcia also badly missed weight. Still, it marked his lone fight of the year and the end of his title reign when he couldn’t be motivated to face mandatory challenger Sandor Martin.
It led to Haney’s welterweight debut, a pedestrian decision win over Jose Ramirez on May 2 in New York City. The bout remains among the lowest-punch-output affairs in boxing history and led many to believe that Haney was damaged goods – and certainly in over his head versus Norman.
The oddsmakers disagreed, as the fight was a virtual pick-‘em. The opening round set the tone for things to come in the long run – few punches thrown, though on a pace that favored Haney.
The unlikeliest outcome according to the experts – a Haney win by knockout – nearly came to fruition in the second.
Haney set the tone earlier in the round when he connected with a check left hook. The shot clearly bothered the unsuspecting Norman, whose legs buckled, though he was able to remain upright.
A follow-up right hand, however, forced the unbeaten titlist to the canvas in a stunning knockdown sequence. Haney stood over Norman’s fallen body in a taunting pose before he was ushered to a neutral corner by the referee.
Norman rose from the canvas and wiped away the blood that flowed from his nose. Haney attempted to finish the job, but he was unable to again catch lightning in a bottle as Norman made it out of the round.
It was up to Norman to adjust if he were to rally back and retain his title. He enjoyed a better third round, certainly by comparison, though Haney still found success with his pinpoint jab. Norman managed to land a left hook, but Haney responded with a chopping right hand.
Haney landed a power jab to start the fourth round, which briefly put Norman on his heels. Norman closed the gap and connected with a compact left hook. Haney returned to the stick and snapped back Norman’s head, as he did with a counter left hook moments later.
Norman jumped out to a positive start in the fifth, courtesy of multiple left hooks. Haney wisely reverted to boxing mode and landed a series of classic 1-2s down the middle.
Haney reminded the world of his newfound welterweight power in Round 7.
A leaping left hook by Haney caught Norman off guard, though Norman remained upright. Haney followed up with a right hand and continued to apply pressure. Norman offered a left hook, similar to the one that flattened Jin Sasaki this past June 19 in the leading Knockout of the Year contender. Haney was more defensively responsible and minimized the impact of Norman’s money punch.
Norman made a key adjustment to his offense in the eighth. He led with right hands rather than throwing them behind the jab, to which Haney long ago timed and adapted. Haney continued to slip Norman’s jab and counter with right hands. Norman played defense and dodged a counter right but was unable to respond with anything of note.
The best offensive moment of the night for Norman – to that point – came in Round 9. He caught Haney with a couple of left hooks, but it was a right hand just before the 1-minute mark that managed to drive his challenger towards the ropes. Haney showed remarkable resilience even during the best sequences for the heavy-handed Norman, though momentum slowly shifted in the direction of the Atlanta native.
That said, even as Norman seemingly won the 10th, the insistence from his father and head trainer Brian Norman Snr was to close the show and not leave anything to chance. There was the fear that he had conceded too many rounds in the first half, coupled with the knockdown.
The advice didn’t quite take. Norman was calculated but almost deliberate in his approach, while Haney was content with the low output fight as they frequently clinched in the 11th. Haney came out of a break in the action with a purposeful jab and an effective – if not particularly potent – right. Norman couldn’t offer a response and was slowly creeping towards the end of his reign.
Even with the sizable lead, Haney was warned by his father and head trainer, Bill Haney, that Norman was going to come out like gangbusters for the 12th and final round. The advice was to just have faith in his skills and finish the fight in style rather than toy with his foe.
“If he’s the bad motherfucker they said he is, he’d have gotten you out of there already, right?” insisted the elder Haney.
The perception of desperation came to fruition in the 12th, though Haney was prepared for the moment. Norman picked up his activity level, but Haney picked off most of the incoming. By the end, it was Norman who was initiating clinches, at a point when he needed to land a home run shot to avoid his first career defeat.
That moment never came, as Norman’s previously brilliant 2025 ended with his first defeat and the end of his title reign. He won the interim WBO title last May in a highlight-reel knockout of Giovanni Santillan and added memorable stoppage wins over Derreick Cuevas and Jin Sasaki.
Saturday marked Norman’s lone title fight to go the distance.
Meanwhile, Haney returned to the type of pound-for-pound form that came with his undisputed lightweight championship reign through his abovementioned shutout of Prograis.
“One-forty-seven is the weight class I was supposed to be at for a long time,” noted Haney. “My dad was telling me I needed to move up, but there was too much at stake for 135 and 140.
“We’re taking on all comers. It doesn’t matter who my dad says it is, we’re ready.”
Haney-Norman served as the chief support on a DAZN pay-per-view, topped by the David Benavidez-Anthony Yarde WBC 175lbs title fight.
