Brian Norman Jr. is looking to secure the biggest win of his life this weekend.
He'll be looking to land an impressive win against his toughest opponent to date in
Devin Haney.
Haney represents a big for Norman,
who will make the third defense of his WBO welterweight title Saturday on “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live on
DAZN PPV. Norman vs Haney is one of four title fights on the card that’s headlined by
David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde for Benavidez’s WBC light heavyweight title.
Also on the card is a unification title bout for The Ring, WBA, WBC and WBO 115-pound titles between Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Fernando “Puma” Martinez, and Abdullah Mason vs. Sam Noakes for the vacant WBO lightweight title.
Norman (28-0, 22 KOs) has been nothing short of impressive since becoming. 147-pound champion. In his two title defenses, the hard-hitting Georgian stopped Derrieck Cuevas in the third round in March and delivered a
Knockout of the Year contender with his vicious fifth-round knockout of Jin Sasaki on June 19 in Japan.
Norman is The Ring’s No. 1-ranked welterweight. Haney (32-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC), who is a former undisputed lightweight champion, will be seeking a title in a third division in his first fight at welterweight.
Last fight: Defeated Jin Sasaki by fifth-round knockout on June 19 in Japan.
Odds: Norman is a slight favorite at -120 odds on DraftKings. Haney is a -105 underdog in what is currently the closest fight based on DraftKings’ odds.
How does Norman win? It’s no secret what the best path to victory is for Norman. While Haney will look to box from the outside, Norman needs to close the distance to connect with power shots.
Norman has to shrink the ring by cutting it off and getting Haney in the corner or along the ropes. From there, he’ll be able to let his hands go and stand a better chance at landing something flush against the slick Haney.
Establishing the jab to the body would also help Norman find success with the rest of his offense. If he can land consistently with a jab downstairs, that could set up a left hook upstairs, a punch that Ryan Garcia found immense success with to the tune of three knockdowns in their April 2024 fight. The major caveat to the success Garcia had with his left hook is that he tested positive for banned substance Ostarine.
Punching with Haney would also help Norman crack Haney’s defensive shell. Even if Haney is stronger and has more punch resistance at 147 pounds, he won’t want to make a habit out of exchanging with the naturally bigger Norman. Jabbing with Haney could prove especially useful for Norman, as it can help take away Haney’s jab, which is his best offensive weapon.
What does it mean if Norman wins? Emerging victorious over Haney would easily represent the best win of Norman’s career.
While he is an ascending talent, if Norman is going to start to climb the ranks and take a step toward becoming one of boxing’s top names in America, he needs wins over established names and worthy contenders.
Haney represents both as an undefeated former two-division title holder who was once the undisputed lightweight champion. And if Norman can impressively beat Haney, he'll be poised to take the next step in his career.
What they’re saying: “At one point, Muhammad Ali never fought anybody. At one point, Mike Tyson never fought anybody, at one point Floyd [Mayweather] never fought anybody but then they did, and guess what? History was made and a legendary career was made after that. Devin Haney is my introduction to a legendary career.”
TV/Stream: DAZN Pay-Per-View; $59.99 in the U.S. (3 p.m. ET); £24.99 in the UK (8 p.m. BST).