There have been many questions surrounding Devin Haney over the past 18 months, and on Saturday he answered each of them emphatically.
Haney (33-0, 15 KO) became a three-weight world champion in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, defeating Brian Norman Jr. (28-1, 22 KO) won the WBO welterweight title by unanimous decision. The judges scored the 147-pound title fight for Haney on scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113. This was Haney’s first actual appearance at 147 pounds since his last appearance fought at the catchweight 144 pounds.
The victory marked a career resurgence of sorts for Haney, who has been grappling with questions about his ability to take a punch and avoid an elite left hook and whether he can effectively make weight since dropping three times in a majority decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024. The defeat was later changed to a no-contest after Garcia tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug, but questions about Haney’s stamina and attitude remain unresolved.
“In 2024, I lost everything,” Haney said. “Everything collapsed on me. In 2025 I came to get it back. In 2026 I will come for everything.”
Not only has Miami’s Haney proven he’s willing to take a shot from arguably the hardest hitter in the division in Norman Jr., but he’s shown he’s also capable of challenging at this weight. In the second round, he knocked down Norman Jr. with a right hand. and never looked back. His jab led to Norman Jr. to a frenzy throughout the night, and many observers were surprised by his decision to be relentless in the pocket and effectively cut into the check.
Norman Jr., who put up a knockout of the year candidate against Jin Sasaki earlier this year, never quite caught up to Haney in terms of speed and control in the ring. He managed to have some minor success in the middle rounds in an attempt to force a more physical fight, but consistently had no answer to Haney’s jab. By the second round, his nose was badly bloody, and in the later rounds his left eye began to swell.
The victory opens up plenty of opportunities for Haney, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday. His father, Bill Haney, declined to name a potential fight immediately after the fight, but a rematch with Garcia would certainly be the most high-profile.
Garcia (24-2, 20 KO) has also moved up to welterweight since the Haney clash. In May, he lost to Rolando Romeroby by unanimous decision in the fight for the vacant WBA welterweight title. If Garcia won, he would likely set up a rematch with Haney.
“We welcome all comers,” Haney said. “[Welterweight] This is a weight class I’ve been meaning to be in for a long time. My dad had been telling me for a long time that I had to move. I’m here to stay at 147 pounds for a long time.”