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Increased and risky to Norman Jr.’s power

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6 months ago

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Image: Manny Pacquiao Advises Devin Haney to Prioritize Entertainment Over Safety-First Tactics

Devin Haney’s physique transformation before the fight with WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. raises doubts as to whether adding muscle will improve his performance on November 22, 2025 in Riyad.

Haney (32-0, 16 KO) has bulked up in training camp, putting on considerable size to compete at the full 147-pound welterweight division. Not only has Devin’s upper body become larger, but his head also appears larger. That’s weird. It now resembles a T. rex.

These extra muscles make him look completely different from the fighter who fought Jose Ramirez earlier this year on May 2, 2025 in Times Square in Fresh York.

Gaining mass: a risky move

For Haney to put on so much size in one training camp without testing it against a lower-level fighter who lacks punching power is risky. Building enough mass to face arguably the greatest welterweight fighter in Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KO), it’s risky.

Why mobility defeats muscles

In any case, Devin, 27, should enter the fight lighter as he will have to rely on his legs to move around the ring for the next 12 rounds. If he sets his feet to throw with power, he will be at the mercy of Norman’s powerful punches. Haney lacks the punching toughness to take demanding shots from a fighter like Norman Jr.

“If you put someone in there with the same guys and they do the same thing,” Devin Haney said Ring Masterswhen asked what the “eye test” tells him about how well Brian Norman Jr. is doing. will join the fight scheduled for November 22. “How long have I been doing this at the highest level?”

“Top level”? Let’s check your CV

Question: Did Haney fight at “top level”? His biography does not reflect a player who faced top opponents. The only name on Devin’s resume that jumps out is Vasily Lomachenko, who was 35 years senior when they fought on May 20, 2023.

After Haney hydrated before the fight, he looked like a junior middleweight fighting a featherweight. He was huge compared to Lomachenko in the ring.

Haney’s other “top-level” opponents:

  • King Prograis – 35
  • Yuriorkis Gamboa – 38
  • Jorge Linares – 35
  • Ryan Garcia – social media star
  • Joseph “JoJo” Diaz
  • George Kambosos Jr. – a one-hit wonder
  • Jose Ramirez – after defeat
  • Zaur Abdullaev – side challenger
  • Antonio Moran – Same
  • Juan Carlos Burgos – journeyman

As you can see, Haney’s experience is constrained to older players, much smaller than him, and social media star Ryan Garcia. Haney’s victory over Lomachenko cannot be counted for three reasons:

  1. Controversial nature: Many fans considered it a robbery, believing that Lomachenko should have won
  2. Size difference: Haney looked like a junior middleweight fighting a featherweight
  3. Age difference: Loma was 35 and 3 months senior when he fought Devin.

Last update: 25/10/2025

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Boxing

The Shakur Stevenson vs. Devin Haney fight is in the works, but there is one major issue standing in the way

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2 hours ago

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April 28, 2026

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Shakur Stevenson vs Devin Haney is ‘in talks’ but one major issue stands in the way

Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney are reportedly in talks for an all-American superfight.

Stevenson scored the biggest victory of his career this year, moving up to super lightweight to defeat Teofimo Lopez to become a four-division world champion.

Haney won titles in three weight classes and was undisputed at lightweight. Most recently he defeated Brian Norman Jr. for the WBO welterweight world title.

Both men have impressed in their recent wins and are widely considered two of the most technically elite fighters in the sport today. A fight between the two has been discussed for a long time, and The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that it could now become a reality if one key hurdle can be overcome – an agreed weight limit.

This problem is not effortless to solve and may prove too stern for negotiations to overcome. Haney said he felt best at welterweight and looked exhausted at super lightweight. Stevenson argues that his opponent faced Jose Ramirez at the 144-pound catchweight last year and could do the same again. While Haney handled the weight well and performed well on the night, there is no doubt he would have been at a disadvantage.

Stevenson, however, argued that he is still a natural lightweight – even though he looks comfortable against Lopez at 140 pounds – and that a meeting under the welterweight limit creates a more even playing field.

Time will tell whether this can be agreed behind the scenes. A significant amount could assist move things forward, but given their undefeated records, pound-for-pound status and position as the face of American boxing, both Stevenson and Haney will be cautious in making decisions.

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Boxing

David Benavidez says his speed will be too much for Ramirez

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4 hours ago

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April 27, 2026

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Image: David Benavidez Says His Speed Will Be Too Much For Ramirez

David Benavidez doesn’t think size alone will decide his fight against Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez. Ahead of the cruiserweight title clash, Benavidez says the advantage will come down to speed, combinations and a style that he feels Ramirez hasn’t faced before.

Benavidez said Ramirez is a bigger man and is used to facing naturally bigger opponents in the cruiserweight division, but he doesn’t see it as a problem. He believes the slower pace typical of this weight will work to his advantage once the punches start falling.


Benavidez said Ramirez has never faced someone like him in an official fight. Although both have sparred in the past, Benavidez has made it clear that he sees a major difference between rounds in the gym and fighting him under the lights for twelve rounds.

“There are a lot of opportunities to hit him with a lot of combinations because he is slower,” Benavidez told Double3 Coverage. “My speed, my movement and my defense will be too much for him and I will surely overwhelm and drown him with pressure and volume.”

It’s compelling that he so casually disregards the size difference. While Zurdo Ramirez is a natural cruiserweight and holds the unified WBA/WBO titles, Benavidez is betting that speed and volume will be the universal equalizer.

Benavidez sounds like a man who thinks he’s found a flaw in the system. Moving up to cruiserweight, he believes his hand speed will be a blur compared to fighters in the 200-pound division. But here comes the fear of a massacre.

He already says this is “his era.” When a fighter begins to look beyond a unified champion like Ramirez toward a September coronation or a legacy-defining run, he usually leaves his chin exposed.

On the other hand, bookmakers do not predict a massacre, at least not in the case of Benavidez. There’s a reason he’s a -600 favorite. Most analysts believe he is just unique enough that his volume will break Zurdo’s rhythm before the size difference becomes a factor.

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Categories David Benavidez, Gilberto Ramirez, Quick Strikes

Last updated: 27/04/2026 at 22:41

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Shakur Stevenson responds to reports that he is in talks to face Devin Haney next

Published

6 hours ago

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April 27, 2026

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Shakur Stevenson responds to report that he is in talks to face Devin Haney next

Shakur Stevenson has hit the brakes following reports that he is in preliminary talks to fight Devin Haney.

Both elite Americans have claims to pound-for-pound status, both boast undefeated records and are considered among the most defensively gifted operators of the contemporary era.

However, a weight class or two has always separated them, and Haney’s recent move to welterweight – a division Stevenson says he can get to but is in no rush – seemed to make that fight less likely.

To make that happen, Stevenson said he would like Haney to agree to a catchweight of 144 pounds, the same limit he reached when defeating Jose Ramirez in 2025.

Today, The Ring’s Mike Coppinger reported that discussions had already begun, but the weight was a sticking point, with Stevenson likely still insisting on the stipulation, but Haney was keen on staying at 147 pounds.

However, Stevenson has now responded to Coppinger’s claim by speaking further X that there was no contact between the teams.

“I know the fans like to get excited and can toy with you all and easily manipulate you, but this rumor is dead for the second time. I haven’t heard a word about it, [I don’t know] what are they? [trying to] hide or hide, but me and my team haven’t heard any nonsense.”

It’s unclear where Haney and Stevenson will go next Haney is reportedly considering a move to Zuffa Boxing and Stevenson are still deciding which division to compete in.

For now, it seems any excitement about their meeting on the ropes is premature.

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