Brian Norman Jnr and Devin Haney managed to keep it relatively civil this time around, at least until they once again met face-to-face.
One day after their teams engaged in a physical altercation, the pair of unbeaten welterweights traded words during a press conference to confirm the “Ring IV” supercard. Norman-Haney was one of four title fights announced for the November 22 card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The show is topped by the David Benavidez-Anthony Yarde WBC light heavyweight title fight. Unbeaten lightweights Abdullah Mason and Sam Noakes will collide for the vacant WBO 135lbs title. Opening the show, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – provided he defeats Phumulele Cafu in their July 19 WBC/WBO 115lbs unification bout – will face unbeaten Fernando “Pumita” Martinez.
All but Rodriguez – who is training for his abovementioned clash with Cafu – were on hand during Friday’s presser at Hard Rock Cafe in New York City’s famed Times Square. The matchup between Norman and Haney has already garnered the most headlines thus far. It will likely remain the case after their dust-up in a hotel lobby on Thursday and a very brief shoving match after their post-press-conference staredown.
In between, the two young guns spoke their mind on why one will prevail over the other in a bout for Norman’s WBO welterweight title.
“It’s another shot for me to become a three-division champion,” Haney said during his time on the mic. “Brian Norman is just another guy. I’ve been at this level for a long time.
“Brian Norman is here for the first time. I’m here to show him that there’s levels to this. I’m on a totally different level than him. I’m just happy for this opportunity.”
Haney, 32-0 (15 KOs, 1 no-contest) – a former undisputed lightweight champion and WBC 140lbs titlist – was lauded for his continued willingness to take on the sport’s very best. Norman, 28-0 (22 KOs), represents the ninth time in 10 fights in which Haney will face a current or former titleholder. The lone exception was his highly controversial clash with fellow unbeaten boxer Ryan Garcia last April 20.
Haney’s stellar resume was the clear reference to his repeated claims of Norman not being at his level. It only spoke to the reigning titlist’s claim that he continues to be slept on, no matter how many challengers he continues to put to sleep.
“Obviously not enough, because I still got some doubters out there,” Norman said of the amount of appreciation he felt he has earned among his peers. “I’m still showing y’all each and every day. That’s what it is, people keep doubting me. They’ve been doubting me for my whole life.
“That’s why I got a big ol’ chip on my shoulder. Yesterday just amped it up even more. Y’all boys let me get too comfortable. Y’all let me get my hand back. Time is up. Time to get y’all up out of my sport. Y’all tearing it up, anyway.”
Norman will attempt his third title defense, all in 2025. He has taken out each of his past three opponents in highlight-reel fashion. The brilliant run began with his 10th-round knockout of Giovanni Santillan in their vacant WBO interim welterweight title fight between unbeaten contenders last May 18 on the road in San Diego.
A hand injury kept Norman on the shelf for the rest of 2024, but he picked up where he left off with his March 29 third-round stoppage of Derrieck Cuevas in Las Vegas. The win was followed by his latest feat, a jaw-dropping fifth-round knockout of Jin Sasaki on June 19 in Tokyo. The feat remains, by far, the leading candidate for 2025 Knockout of the Year.
Haney has fought just once since his no-contest with Garcia. It came on the “Ring II” show in Times Square when he boxed his way to a dull 12-round decision over faded former unified 140lbs titlist Jose Ramirez.
It was theorized that Haney is perhaps still shell-shocked from being floored three times by Garcia, who was overweight and tested positive for a banned substance in their clash. The other side of the argument was that he simply did all he needed to do against an opponent who clearly couldn’t compete on his level.
The outcome is in stark comparison to the explosive performances delivered by Norman. However, his upcoming challenger insisted that those wins lack depth.
“I don’t know anybody that he’s fought,” said a dismissive Haney. “I never heard … he’s never knocked out anybody at the top. I know he’s gonna say, ‘Oh well, you’re gonna be the first one.’ Sounds good, we’ve heard this before. But he’s never done this before at this level. I’ve been at this level for seven, eight years now.
“I know he’s got power. We all know he’s got power. But it’s against guys we’ve never seen before. We never heard of these guys before. So I will show him that – power is good, muscles are good. He’s got muscles. But muscles don’t win fights at this higher level. The best of the best, no matter how much muscle you got, no matter how much power you got, I will show him.”
The always-calm and composed Norman has grown accustomed to that claim.
“Everyone can do and say whatever,” stated Norman. “But actions speak louder than words.
“Come November, I’m ready to prove that.”
