Riyadh is set to host another significant boxing event on November 22nd, featuring a compelling WBO welterweight title bout between the reigning champion, Brian Norman Jr., and the ambitious challenger, Devin Haney. While the fight itself promises technical intrigue and potential fireworks, the pre-fight press conference, held as part of the promotional activities for the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde card, offered a preview of the mental warfare already underway.
Devin Haney, often referred to as `The Dream`, did not approach the microphone with subtle remarks. Fresh off navigating the complex waters of the super lightweight division, where he faced challenges securing bouts against figures like Ryan Garcia and Teofimo Lopez, Haney is making a definitive move up to 147 pounds with his sights set on a third divisional world title. His message regarding Brian Norman Jr. was unequivocal: this fight, in his estimation, is a stark demonstration of different tiers within the sport.
“Another shot for me to become a three-division champion. Brian Norman is just another guy. I`ve been at this level for a long time. Brian Norman, this is his big moment. This is his first time here. I`m here to show him that it`s levels. I`m on a totally different level than him. I`m happy for this opportunity,” Haney stated, framing the encounter as a veteran asserting his established position against a newcomer to championship-level prominence.
Despite Norman Jr.`s status as a legitimate welterweight titleholder known for possessing fight-altering power, Haney appeared distinctly unimpressed by his opponent`s resume. Haney critically assessed Norman Jr.`s list of past opponents, suggesting a lack of established, top-tier names. This formed the basis for his argument that Norman Jr.`s power, while acknowledged, has not been proven against the caliber of fighter Haney believes himself to be.
“I don`t know nobody that he fought. He`s never knocked out nobody at the top… he`s never done this at the highest level. I`ve been at the highest level for seven, eight years now,” Haney elaborated, directly addressing Norman Jr.`s power reputation. He continued with a pointed critique of relying solely on physical attributes: “I know that he has power, we all know that he got power. But against guys we`ve never seen before… muscles don`t win fights.” Haney predicted a one-sided affair, intending to “handicap him” in the ring.
For Haney, the move to the welterweight limit appears to be less about adapting to a new weight class and more about applying his established technical superiority regardless of the numbers on the scale. He brushed aside any suggestion that the physical difference would bridge the perceived gap in ability.
“It don`t matter, I`m levels above this guy. It don`t matter what weight, you can do that 140, 145, 143, 147, it don`t matter, I`m levels above him,” he reiterated with resolute certainty.
Meanwhile, Brian Norman Jr., a Georgian fighter who recently secured his WBO title by stopping Jin Sasaki abroad, received Haney`s declarations with an air of someone accustomed to being underestimated. For Norman Jr., being the doubted party isn`t a new experience; it`s a recurring theme throughout his career and life. This fuels a palpable desire to prove his detractors wrong and, in his view, usher in a new era for the sport.
“Time is up. It`s time for y`all to get up out of my sport. Y`all tearing it up anyway,” Norman Jr. retorted, directly challenging the established figures like Haney. He acknowledged the discussion around his power but, significantly, highlighted that power alone is insufficient. “They keep looking at the power, but the power don`t mean nothing if you can`t land it. You gotta have some kind of IQ. You gotta learn how to put that thing together, I`m gonna show y`all something different coming into this fight.”
This verbal exchange sets the stage for a classic boxing narrative: the proven, highly technical veteran asserting his dominance against a dangerous, powerful champion who believes the established guard is past its prime and ripe for replacement. Haney`s confidence borders on dismissing Norman Jr. as a mere stepping stone, while Norman Jr. embraces the chip on his shoulder, promising that the combination of his well-known power and potentially underestimated ring intelligence will be the undoing of `The Dream`. The press conference has painted a clear picture – two fighters with vastly different perspectives on the hierarchy of the welterweight division. Ultimately, the true measure of `levels` will occur when they meet in the center of the Riyadh ring on November 22nd.
