The verbal agreement between Brian Norman Jr. and Devin Haney has turned into a written one as the two are set to meet in the ring in November according to The Ring owner Turki Alalshikh. The title bout will see Norman Jr. defend his WBO welterweight title against Haney who will be attempting to become a three-division world champion. The fight is further set to be a part of a Riyadh Season card.
No details have yet emerged on the venue and date, but November has already been pinpointed by Turki Alalshikh as the likely period Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KO’s) and Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KO’s) will be facing each other. The announcement of their fight being set to take place on a Riyadh Season card will likely see the bout occur in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, though there have been at least two instances where Riyadh Season events occurred outside of Saudi Arabia in the UK and USA.
The significance of the fight will likely see it billed as the main event with the prominent yet controversial Devin Haney set to provide the bulk of the attention, despite criticisms regarding his style of fighting. The lesser-accomplished Brian Norman Jr. will be defending his WBO welterweight (147 lbs) title against Haney but has a budding reputation that surged after his June 19th win over Japanese contender Jin Sasaki.
Haney, 26, will be the underdog within the fight, mostly attributed to his lackluster performance against Jose Carlos Ramirez on the now-infamous May 2nd NY card and further characterized by a “running” style where engagement is minimal and movement is frequent ― though this appears only a recent development following the now-cancelled bout against Ryan Garcia where he was knocked down several times.
The 24-year old Brian Norman Jr. stands every chance of gaining a victory but, against Haney, has been matched with the most accomplished opponent he has faced thus far. Known for both his technical skills and power, often manifested through his ability to successfully pressure opponents, Norman provides a monumental challenge for Haney to overcome; compounded by Norman’s adept use of the left hand from the orthodox stance which posed untold problems for Haney in his last fight with Ryan Garcia (24-2, 20 KO’s).
Despite several disadvantages Haney faces, including having only fought once in the 147-pound division as opposed to Norman who spent the majority of his career there, his ring IQ and skills may be factors allowing him to overcome the WBO champion.
As a former undisputed lightweight (135 lbs) and super lightweight (140 lbs) world champion, Haney also has experience at the top level that outweighs Norman’s. Whether this experience can be translated into the ring come November will be a prominent question throughout the build-up, with Norman’s physical attributes largely expected to culminate in a first-time career loss for Haney.
For the American boxing scene, the bout between the two competitors will be one of significant standing with the two young and talented American fighters aiming not only for domestic supremacy in the 147-pound division but further hoping to add a momentous win to their boxing legacy.
