Devin Haney is indicating his intention to demonstrate his superior standing compared to WBO welterweight titleholder Brian Norman Jr. on November 22nd. He suggests that this marks Norman Jr.’s inaugural contest against an elite competitor, anticipating it will be “overwhelming” for him.
“Brian Norman is considered a leading contender in the 147-lb division. Securing a victory over him would establish me as the frontrunner,” Devin Haney stated to the Ring Magazine channel. “His past performances have been against relatively unknown opponents. I’m not familiar with anyone on his list of opponents.”
Even if Haney were successful in achieving a victory over Norman Jr, that wouldn’t automatically qualify him as “the best” at 147. He would still be required to compete against contenders such as Ryan Garcia, Shakhram Giyasov, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, Eimantas Stanionis, Karen Chukhadzhian, and Conor Benn. While he could proclaim himself “the best,” that status wouldn’t be validated until he triumphs over these fighters.
Haney’s assertion: “superior level” than Norman
“I consider myself an experienced individual. This presents another opponent and an additional title opportunity for me. It’s the first instance where I’m facing someone younger. My accumulated experience will underscore the extent of my superiority. This is his first experience at this level. Facing a fighter of my caliber will be overwhelming.
Is Haney actually the top contender?
- Vasily Lomachenko: *subject to debate
- Regis Prograis
- George Kambosos x 2
- Joseph Diaz Jr.
- Jorge Linares
- Jose Ramirez
In terms of experience, Haney doesn’t possess a substantial advantage over Norman Jr. A significant portion of fans believed Devin’s victory over Lomachenko was aided. I concur with this perspective. I believed Lomachenko was victorious against a larger and younger Haney.
The other significant wins on Devin’s record are relatively unremarkable. Ramirez, Linares, Diaz Jr, and Prograis were all past their prime when he faced them. Kambosos Jr. was essentially a one-hit wonder, whose primary achievement was his unexpected victory over Teofimo Lopez, a fighter with a relatively thin record.
“I intend to demonstrate that I am at a higher level than him. I’ve been competing against some of the best fighters globally for quite some time. He hasn’t. I represent the first top-tier opponent he’s faced,” Haney conveyed.
Haney’s strategy for the Riyadh fight
If Devin intends to prove his superiority over Norman Jr, he needs to engage in direct combat. If he transforms the encounter into a cat-and-mouse game similar to his performance against Jose Ramirez in Times Square, it’s unlikely the judges will award him the decision.
This match is scheduled to take place in Riyadh. The judges will be aware that Turki Alalshikh prefers fighters to engage actively and provide entertainment. If Haney performs similarly to his fight against Ramirez, the judges are more likely to favor Norman Jr.
