Brian Norman Sr. questioned Devin Haney’s intelligence today, discussing how he parrots lines he learned from Floyd Mayweather Jr. and cannot think for itself.
Same lines, every fight
He notes that Haney (32-0, 16 KO) uses the same terms from fight to fight, calling himself “levels above” their opponents and labeling them “Level C.”
Norman Sr. states that Haney has a “circumscribed vocabulary” and is simply a “bot” and claims that “embarrassed” for him, because he keeps “saying the same things” in interviews.
Bill Haney had charisma
Devin’s father, Bill Haney, has spoken extensively in the past while promoting his fights. Raised in Oakland, California, Bill was naturally charismatic, someone people just wanted to listen to. Because Bill did the talking, Devin didn’t have to sell his fights because he did all the work.
For Haney’s upcoming fight against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KO) was the one who did the most talking and it felt like a curtain was being drawn to give fans an insight into his personality. Can Haney handle the buildup on its own? For now, I’d say that’s a massive advantage. NO. Norman Sr. did most of the weighty lifting in promoting the fight, generating interest with his snarky audio segments.
Norman Sr. sees a person who has little to say and repeats the same words; it’s like a broken record stuck in the same place. Is Haney’s carefully crafted image finally starting to crack in public?
Copying Floyd’s script
“All you’ve ever heard is: I’m at a higher level and I’m going to show it.’ That’s what you heard, because that’s Floyd [Mayweather] – he said and doesn’t know what else to say. It is circumscribed. He has a circumscribed vocabulary,” Brian Norman Sr. said Rize Podcastquestioning Devin Haney’s intelligence.
Wooden delivery by Devin
A good PR coach would facilitate Haney by generating up-to-date material for him to cover before the interview. Of course, this would require Devin to prepare for an interview and would involve work. Acting classes would facilitate Haney look less stiff on camera because he doesn’t seem casual during interviews. There is a stiffness to it.
Norman Sr. calls Haney a robot
“He doesn’t have the attitude that Brian Norman Jr. has. He can’t function without the mind that he learned from Floyd Mayweather. He has to move away from something that he read in a book or studied for 20 or 15 years,” Norman Sr. said of Haney. “Brian Norman Jr. has an opinion. Devin Haney doesn’t. He’s a fucking bot.
“Every fight he says, ‘I’m level. He’s level C.’ [Haney] this is embarrassing. I’m ashamed that you say “s***”. You have a whole career to pursue and you keep saying the same crap? These are not astute people. These are not astute people,” Norman Sr. said.
Ken Woods was a senior writer in Boxing News 24 since 2013, covering sports from every angle. With years of reporting from the ring, he delivers fight news, results and analysis that cuts through the noise. Ken’s work consistently focuses on champions, challengers and prospects, giving fans a acute and well-informed view of the global boxing scene.
He added that the cameras also recorded Smith allegedly “pushing past people to resume the incident, punching someone on the floor”.
Judge Gilbart adjourned the hearing until 28 November. Smith was told to be ready to enter his pleas on that date.
The fighter, nicknamed ‘Beefy’, was granted bail with conditions not to contact Nke or to enter Manchester, unless to attend court, or for appointments with his solicitor.
Judge Gilbart fixed a provisional trial date for the week commencing 15 March 2028.
Smith, now of Formby in Sefton, was due to make a comeback in a fight on 4 September in Finland, but pulled out due to a calf injury, according to reports.
Smith, one of four brothers who all boxed professionally and all won titles at British level, has fought some of the biggest names in the sport including a defeat to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
More recently he fought British rival Chris Eubank Jr twice, defeating him in the first fight in January 2023, before suffering a defeat in the rematch eight months later.
Oleksandr Usyk could be involved in one of the “biggest fights in cruiserweight history”, just so long as he is willing to drop back down to 200lbs.
The 39-year-old has not fought at the weight since 2018, when he became the undisputed king by dethroning Murat Gassiev with a wide points victory.
Usyk also defined his cruiserweight reign with a majority decision triumph over Mairis Briedis, before moving up in weight and becoming a two-division world champion.
He did so by dethroning Anthony Joshua in 2021, with the Ukrainian then winning their rematch and eventually facing Tyson Fury for all four major heavyweight belts.
Then, this past June, Usyk made the decision to vacate his titles after having become a two-division undisputed champion and secured a harder-than-expected 11th-round stoppage of former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
Still, though, the decorated southpaw intends to fight for a short while longer and, according to Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger, has mentioned a Fury trilogy and David Benavidez clash as possible options.
Speaking to Last Stand Podcastunified cruiserweight champion Benavidez said he would gladly face Usyk at his current fighting weight.
“The point I wanted to make when we’re talking about Usyk is: I don’t know if that would be at heavyweight or cruiserweight. Didn’t Usyk relinquish all his belts?
“In my opinion, it would be a bigger fight at cruiserweight because, once I capture this [WBC] title, that would be three belts [on the line]. It would probably be one of the biggest fights in cruiserweight history.”
While a potential Usyk showdown could be explored, Benavidez has already committed to facing WBC champion Michal Cieslak in December and verbally agreed to fight Jai Opetaia next year.
Oleksandr Usyk could be involved in one of the “biggest fights in cruiserweight history”, just so long as he is willing to drop back down to 200lbs.
The 39-year-old has not fought at the weight since 2018, when he became the undisputed king by dethroning Murat Gassiev with a wide points victory.
Usyk also defined his cruiserweight reign with a majority decision triumph over Mairis Briedis, before moving up in weight and becoming a two-division world champion.
He did so by dethroning Anthony Joshua in 2021, with the Ukrainian then winning their rematch and eventually facing Tyson Fury for all four major heavyweight belts.
Then, this past June, Usyk made the decision to vacate his titles after having become a two-division undisputed champion and secured a harder-than-expected 11th-round stoppage of former kickboxer Rico Verhoeven.
Still, though, the decorated southpaw intends to fight for a short while longer and, according to Ring Magazine’s Mike Coppinger, has mentioned a Fury trilogy and David Benavidez clash as possible options.
Speaking to Last Stand Podcastunified cruiserweight champion Benavidez said he would gladly face Usyk at his current fighting weight.
“The point I wanted to make when we’re talking about Usyk is: I don’t know if that would be at heavyweight or cruiserweight. Didn’t Usyk relinquish all his belts?
“In my opinion, it would be a bigger fight at cruiserweight because, once I capture this [WBC] title, that would be three belts [on the line]. It would probably be one of the biggest fights in cruiserweight history.”
While a potential Usyk showdown could be explored, Benavidez has already committed to facing WBC champion Michal Cieslak in December and verbally agreed to fight Jai Opetaia next year.