Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn today confirmed what many fans already suspected about Devin Haney: yes “he’s afraid of being hit” since the fight with Ryan Garcia.
Hearn says Devin’s dad, Bill Haney, is worried about his son “impact resistance”. So he expects Haney (32-0, 16 KO) to be in constant motion to avoid shots in his title fight with WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KO) November 22, 2025 because it is a powerful punch with the strength of both hands.
Logic dictates that he will run away again
Hearn says he doesn’t think Devin will run away from Norman Jr. like he did on May 2 against Jose Ramirez earlier this year. He believes this was just a one-off situation where Haney had to be careful as he was seriously injured multiple times in his previous fight against Ryan Garcia on April 20, 2024.
“Devin and Bill [Haney] they’re especially worried about getting hit, and that’s a really bad situation when you’re fighting, especially when you’re fighting someone who can punch tough,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. media.
It’s unclear why Devin wouldn’t run even further against Norman Jr. than against Ramirez. It doesn’t make sense for Haney to suddenly fight aggressively with a much bigger punch than Ramirez did against Norman Jr.
If he’s going to run for the hills against leisurely ancient Ramirez, why wouldn’t he run even harder against a younger, stronger fighter with one-punch power like Norman Jr? I don’t think Hearn has thought this through.
Can Devin stay in the pocket?
Logically, you would assume that Devin would run non-stop for the full 12 rounds, a classic example of Jerry’s style of fighting. This wouldn’t be in Haney’s best interest because Turki Alalshikh will be in the audience and he’s clearly paying him well. Turki needed to have one no run clause built into the contract with Haney. So if he decides to do a Jerry-like act despite his “No Tom and Jerry” mandate, he won’t get the full amount of money.
Fans may not boo Haney because the event is taking place in Riyad, but people watching the event on DAZN PPV at home in the US will be furious paying to watch this type of performance.
“He’s Bill’s son and Bill doesn’t want him to get hit. They are also concerned about its impact resistance. This is true. And if you’re worried about your impact resistance, I think it’s a hazardous game. So Devin will get on the bike against Brian Norman and try to outsmart him,” Hearn said of Haney.
Clinch trap
Given the power of Norman’s punch, it won’t aid Haney to run around the ring hoping not to get hit. He’ll get there often enough to land bombs that will be more powerful than the ones Ryan repeatedly dropped on Haney.
Norman Jr. he has power in both hands, not just the left. However, this would be the hand that Norman should focus on as Devin has shown that he is unable to block Garcia’s left hook. It hit him all night long.
Haney’s habit of over-holding will put him in striking range of Norman Jr. when he reaches out to catch him in the clinch. This is how Kingry was able to hit him. He just waited for Devin to lunge forward to hold him, and then he watched him. He didn’t last that long in his last fight against Ramirez, but he didn’t have to.
Ramirez was so leisurely that he couldn’t cut off the ring that trapped him in the ropes like Ryan did. If this were the case, we would likely see Haney over-holding, as this is a strategy he has used in the past to neutralize his opponents’ attacks.
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 edged and educated view of the global boxing scene.
Terence Crawford believes one man will follow in his footsteps and retire as an unbeaten world champion, essentially becoming a generational great in the process.
‘Bud’ became not only a world champion but a three-division undisputed king, ending his career with a legacy-defining unanimous decision triumph over Canelo Alvarez.
Even before that, Crawford was considered an elite pound-for-pound operator for over a decade, with many believing his most complete performance came against Errol Spence Jr in 2023.
But while the American is perhaps in a class of his own, he nonetheless believes that four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson can achieve a similar degree of success.
The 29-year-old claimed a career-best victory in January, losing just one round as he dethroned Teofimo Lopez with a masterful unanimous decision victory.
Having now signed with Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, though, it remains to be seen whether he defends his WBO super-lightweight title or pursues opportunities elsewhere.
Either way, Crawford has told Fight Hub TV that Stevenson has the mental and physical attributes to remain unbeaten at the highest level.
“I think Shakur [will take over]for sure, Shakur hands down. I think, given the opportunity, he’s going to show the world that he’s the best. His mental, his defense [sets him apart]takes his craft serious. He’s the type of the fighter that you gotta pull out the gym. [Is he beatable?] Not at all. Everybody [is] beatable, but I don’t see nobody beating him.”
Since inking a promotional deal with Zuffa, Stevenson has named Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis as two potential opponents who would cement his greatness.
The slick southpaw could therefore compete anywhere between lightweight and 147lbs, depending on which division offers the most realistic opportunities.
Oleksandr Usyk has shared his reaction to Anthony Joshua‘s dramatic knockout victory against Kristian Prenga.
Usyk nearly suffered his own shock defeat in May when he was pushed to the limit by kickboxing star Rico Verhoevenand two months on it was nrw teammate Joshua’s turn to come close to a massive upset loss that would have stunned the heavyweight division.
The Brit was dropped twice by massive underdog Prenga in the opening round of their clash in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but ‘AJ’ managed to recover and record a big knockdown of his own in the second round that resulted in the stoppage victory.
Joshua and Usyk now train together, having famously had two battles for the unified world heavyweight title in 2021 and 2022, and the Ukrainian has had his say on his stablemate’s victory over Prenga.
Speaking to TalkSporttwo-time undisputed champion Usyk praised Joshua, insisting ‘AJ is back’ before predicting that Joshua will now claim a knockout win over long-term rival Tyson Fury in his next bout.
“Anthony Joshua is next undisputed champion. First round it’s a test but AJ is back.
It’s boxing, [the] big upper cut is good, it’s a knockdown. AJ [come] back and win.
“Greedy Belly [Fury] will speak now and say weak chin, Greedy Belly get out. AJ wins [against Fury], [he will] knock him out.”
Fury was victorious on Friday as he earned a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach in Thailand, paving the way for the showdown against Joshua later this year.
Jake Paul was the last man to fight Anthony Joshua and he has now revealed his verdict on AJ’s chaotic victory over Kristian Prenga.
Joshua went up against Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Saturdayin a clash that was expected to be a comfortable win for the former world heavyweight champion in order to set up the long overdue battle against Tyson Fury.
Any hopes of seeing that clash were nearly ended after AJ was dropped twice in the opening round of the bout, though he was able to recover and claim the second round knockout to come out on top and prevent a stunning shock upset from taking place.
Saturday’s outing saw Joshua back in the ring for the first time since his sixth round triumph over YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul back in Decemberand now ‘The Problem Child’ himself has shared his reaction to his former rival’s victory over Prenga.
Posting on social mediaPaul praised AJ for earning the win, after returning to action following the tragic car crash he was involved in at the end of last year which took the lives of his two close friends.
“Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through. Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.”
Happy for Joshua with that win after all he’s been through.
Remembering Sina and Latz with this one.
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) July 25, 2026
The win for Joshua should now tee up for meeting with Fury later this year, after ‘The Gypsy King’ held up his end of the bargain by also securing a win in his warm-up bout on Friday, securing a seventh round retirement win against Mariusz Wach.
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