Brian Norman Jr. Set to Shatter Devin Haney’s Ring Belt Dream With Career-Ending Knockout Power

Devin Haney says he wants to capture the “Ring Magazine belt on November 22nd” when he challenges Brian Norman Jr. for his WBO welterweight title on DAZN PPV at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Haney Chasing Ring Belt Fantasy

Unfortunately for Haney (32-0, 16 KOs), the Ring Magazine belt won’t be at stake, as it’s held by Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, and he hasn’t vacated it yet despite moving up to 154. Devin, 26, is just going to have to be satisfied with trying to capture Norman Jr’s WBO title.

Fan Criticisms of Haney

1. Weak chin
2. Changed by money
3. No power
4. Mediocre resume

A bad knockout loss for Haney by Norman Jr. could leave his career in the dirt to the point where there will be no coming back.

Fans have taken note of how he’s changed since his loss to Ryan Garcia, and some suspect that he’s been mentally broken by that beating. Tim Bradley believes Haney has PTSD, still dealing with the echo from that experience.

If Haney does have PTSD, he wouldn’t be the first veteran to experience this terrible condition. Who knows how long it lasts? The way Haney looked in his last fight, he can’t afford to continue to turn in those types of performances.

Running from Brian Norman Jr. all night would be viewed as a kind of automatic loss by fans. Haney would be better off getting knocked out.

Bradley Warns of Haney’s PTSD

“The way he was fighting, how scared he was. PTSD is a real thing in fighting,” said Bradley to Fight Hub TV, reacting to Haney’s performance against Jose Ramirez on May 2nd.

Instead of worrying about capturing the Ring belt, which he can’t do on November 22nd, Haney should focus on just winning the fight against Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs).

There’s a very high possibility that Devin will be knocked out badly in this fight. The other bad option for him is that he could turn in another Jerry-type performance in which he runs for 12 rounds like he did against Jose Ramirez in his last fight on May 2, 2025.

Norman Jr. is arguably the biggest puncher Haney will have faced in his career. Unlike Ryan Garcia, who only punches hard with his left hook, Norman Jr. has knockout power in both hands. He also has a jab that is like a power punch. It’s possible that Brian Jr. could KO Haney with a jab in this fight.

Many fans are unimpressed with Haney since he left the 135-pound division in 2023. He moved up to 140, dethroning arguably the weakest link, WBC light welterweight champion Regis Prograis, and then lost to Ryan Garcia on April 20, 2024, by a 12-round majority decision.

Haney gave up his WBC belt and moved up to welterweight, and turned in a disappointing run-filled performance, beating Jose Ramirez by a 12-round unanimous decision on May 2, 2025.

Ring Magazine welterweight rankings

Champion Jaron Ennis
1 Brian Norman Jr.
2 Eimantas Stanionis
3 Giovani Santillan
4 Rohan Polanco
5 Shakhram Giyasov
6 Alexis Rocha
7 Raul Curiel
8 Mario Barrios
9 Manny Pacquiao
10 Ekow Essuman

Ring Belt Distraction Hurts Focus

Written by Ken Woods, Ringside Boxing Analyst, covering world title fights since 2018.