Devin Haney is confident his skills place him on a higher level than Brian Norman Jr.

Norman’s power is obvious, but the former undisputed lightweight champion considers the unbeaten WBO welterweight titleholder more manufactured than proven. Haney contended Norman has benefited from the masterful matchmaking for which his promoter and Haney’s former co-promoter, Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc., is touted throughout the boxing industry.

Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) will make his debut at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds and attempt to become champion in a third division when he challenges Norman for his title November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He’s not nervous, however, because Haney has seen various weaknesses in Norman (28-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC) he is sure he’ll be able to exploit in the 12-round co-feature of “The Ring IV: Night of Champions” at ANB Arena.

“I think that he’s a good fighter,” Haney told The Ring, “but it’s hard for us to see how good he is because they’ve matched him with the right guys. Top Rank has done perfect matchmaking to make him look how they wanted him to look.”

Norman looked like an elite-level knockout artist when he annihilated Jin Sasaki in his last fight. The Conyers, Georgia native dropped the Japanese contender twice in the first round and viciously knocked out the courageous challenger in the fifth round June 19 at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.

A sweeping left hook by Norman knocked Sasaki unconscious and abruptly ended their 12-round title fight 46 seconds into the fifth round. Sasaki stayed flat on his back for several minutes and was taken from ringside on a stretcher, though he later recovered.

Haney still wasn’t wowed based on Norman’s level of opposition that night.

“I didn’t know Jin Sasaki before that,” Haney said, “and he showed why I didn’t know him.”

Norman nonetheless has won three straight bouts by knockout or technical knockout since his no-contest with Janelson Bocachica in March 2024. Bocachica’s right hand dropped Norman in the first round, but both boxers suffered cuts that led to a ringside physician informing referee Benjy Esteves that they shouldn’t continue after the third round at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Norman has since dominated then-unbeaten Giovani Santillan (34-1, 18 KOs) on his way to a 10th-round knockout in May 2024, stopped Derrieck Cuevas (27-2-1, 19 KOs) in the third round March 29 and battered Sasaki (19-2-1, 17 KOs) less than three months later.

Haney has fought more quality opponents than Norman, but he will oppose perhaps the hardest puncher he’ll have encountered during his nine-year career. The Oakland, California native has endured ceaseless criticism since he took a consistently cautious approach against former WBC/WBO 140-pound champ Jose Ramirez, whom Haney easily beat by unanimous decision in their 12-round match May 2 as part of The Ring’s pay-per-view event at Times Square in New York.

The bout between Norman, 24, and Haney, 27, will be followed by a 12-round main event in which David Benavidez (30-0, 24 KOs) will defend his WBC light heavyweight title against Anthony Yarde (27-3, 24 KOs). Benavidez-Yarde and Norman-Haney will be part of a four-fight DAZN Pay-Per-View show in the UK (£24.99) and the United States ($59.99).