There have been a lot of questions surrounding Devin Haney over the past 18 months — and he answered each and every one of them, emphatically, on Saturday.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) became a three-weight world champion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, defeating Brian Norman Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision to claim the WBO welterweight championship. The judges scored the 147-pound title fight for Haney via scores of 117-110, 116-111 and 114-113. It was Haney’s first actual appearance at 147 pounds, since his last appearance was fought at a 144-pound catchweight.
The victory marked a career resurgence of sorts for Haney, who has faced questions about his ability to take a punch and avoid an elite left hook, as well as whether he could effectively move up in weight since he was dropped three times in a majority decision loss to Ryan Garcia in April 2024. The loss was later changed to a no contest after Garcia tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug, but the questions around Haney’s durability and mindset lingered.
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“In 2024, I lost everything,” Haney said. “Everything came crashing down on me. In 2025, I came to get it back. In 2026, I’m coming for everything.”
Haney, of Miami, not only proved he was willing to take a shot from arguably the hardest hitter in the division in Norman, he showed he can dish it at this weight as well. He used a right hand to knock Norman down in the second round and never looked back. His jab gave Norman fits all night, and he surprised many observers by his decision to stand his ground in the pocket and land effective check hooks.
Norman, who produced a Knockout of the Year candidate earlier this year against Jin Sasaki, never fully caught up to Haney’s speed or control of the ring. He managed to find a little success in the middle rounds, as he attempted to force a more physical contest, but he consistently had no answer for Haney’s jab. His nose was badly bloodied as early as the second round, and his left eye started to swell in the later rounds.
Devin Haney captured the WBO welterweight title Saturday night to become a three-division champion. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
The victory opens up a world of options for Haney, who celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday. His father, Bill Haney, declined to offer a potential name immediately after the bout, but a Garcia rematch would certainly be the most high-profile.
Garcia (24-2, 20 KOs) has also moved to welterweight since the clash with Haney. He lost to Rolando Romero by unanimous decision in a vacant WBA welterweight title fight in May. Had Garcia won, it would have likely set up the Haney rematch.
“We’re taking on all comers,” Haney said. “[Welterweight] is a weight class I was supposed to be at for a long time. My dad has been telling me I needed to move up for a long time. I’m here to stay at 147 for a long time.”
