Devin Haney made history on Saturday night and still walked out to a chorus of criticism. The former undisputed lightweight champion and reigning pound-for-pound player officially became a three-division world champion, dropping Brian Norman Jr. and winning a clear unanimous decision in his welterweight debut to claim the WBO title.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) boxed composed, disciplined, and largely in control against Norman (28-1, 22 KOs, 1 NC), securing the kind of clean, drama-free victory he sorely needed after a rough 18-month stretch.
But while the result was decisive, the reaction from some corners of the boxing world was anything but glowing.
A Much-Needed Win After a Chaotic Stretch
Haney entered the fight with lingering doubts hanging over him:
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A flat, safety-first decision win over Jose Ramirez in May at a 144-pound catchweight.
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A wild firefight with Ryan Garcia in April 2024 where he was dropped three times and lost a majority decision later changed to a No Contest after Garcia tested positive for a PED.
Against Norman, Haney returned to his core identity: control, timing, and ring IQ.
He even produced a rare highlight: a second-round knockdown via a sharp left hook that immediately got Norman’s attention. Haney told The Ring afterward that shot was intentional he wanted to “handicap” Norman early and win his respect.
Still, the numbers paint a very Haney-esque picture:
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Haney averaged 6 punches landed per round.
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Norman averaged 5 punches landed per round, per CompuBox.
It was effective, efficient, and tactically sound. It was also exactly the kind of performance that fuels his critics.
Conor Benn: “He Looked Scared of His Own Shadow”
On DAZN’s “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” broadcast, welterweight contender and potential future opponent Conor Benn didn’t hold back.
“It wasn’t a great performance, in my opinion,” Benn said. “He looked scared of his own shadow in there, didn’t really want to engage. He’s happy to nick rounds and nick fights, but for me, it wasn’t any entertainment there, and it’s the entertainment business.”
Benn accused Haney of being overly negative and risk-averse, painting him as a fighter more concerned with preserving his ‘0’ than giving fans what they want.
“He’s a scared fighter, scared of his own shadow,” Benn added. “He didn’t even want to throw a jab in case his own jab caught him back.”
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
