Devin Haney dropped Brian Norman Jr. and scored a convincing unanimous decision win Saturday in his welterweight debut to become a three-division champion.

It was a clear-cut win that Haney (33-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) needed following an unspectacular decision victory against Jose Ramirez in May, and getting dropped three times in his fight against Ryan Garcia last year, a loss later resulting in a No Contest once Garcia tested positive for a PED.

Against Norman (28-1, 22 KOs, 1 NC), Haney was accurate and efficient, but averaged just six punches landed per round. Norman wasn't any better though, connecting on an average of five punches per round, according to CompuBox.

With the performance, Haney still has his fair share of naysayers, despite notching a comfortable win many believed was going to be hard to come by.

“It wasn't a great performance, in my opinion,” welterweight contender and potential Haney opponent Conor Benn said on “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” broadcast on DAZN.

“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.”

Haney told The Ring afterward that he handicapped Norman and got his respect as soon as he showed off his power with a left hook knockdown in the second round.

Despite scoring a rare knockdown, Haney’s last 11 fights, dating back to 2019, have now reached a decision. Haney’s former promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, who stood alongside Benn, even piled on with his fair share of criticism.

“You have to give Devin respect and credit. He just became a three-division world champion. It's an amazing achievement, but no one is going to want to watch him fight,” said Hearn.

“He's fighting scared. He doesn't want to engage at any moment during the fight. You have Turki Alalshikh, who is paying the money. Haney had the fight at Times Square [against Ramirez], and now this. I told him [after the fight] you have to switch it up. You can't keep fighting like that, because no one is going to want to tune in and watch.

“I wouldn't say that he's going to be the guy we are calling out. Styles make fights, and Conor is always going to be in exciting fights. He's got his eyes on the WBC strap [against Mario Barrios].”

Benn (24-1, 14 KOs) – who last week beat Chris Eubank Jr. in a middleweight rematch – is ready to campaign again at 147 pounds in 2026. Benn said his preference is to face Barrios, Garcia, or Rolando Romero. Barrios and Garcia are supposed to face each other on February 21, while Romero has long been linked to Manny Pacquiao.

“I want to give the people fight of the year contenders,” said Benn. “To see that in there [in what Haney did versus Norman], I don't want to give people that. He's a scared fighter, scared of his own shadow. He didn't even want to throw a jab in case his own jab caught him back.”