“Can’t imagine the camp is comfortable enough to take this fight. So, I’m gonna go on record for saying this, I don’t think the fight happens,” said former welterweight champion Shawn Porter about the Devin Haney vs Brian Norman Jr. title clash. “I think there’s going to be something within the Haney camp that prevents this fight from happening.” Still, Porter clarified his remarks, insisting, “I’m not saying they’re ducking Brian Norman Jr., but what I’m saying is that this doesn’t make sense to me… something’s gonna happen and they’re going to end up backpedaling out of it.” While it seems unlikely that Haney would pull out, given how crucial this fight is for preserving his status atop the division, recent developments suggest otherwise.
Tensions have risen when Bill Haney and Brian Norman Sr. had a violent argument just a few hours ago. The fight is set for November 22 at ANB Arena in Riyadh. The fight may now be in genuine danger because both sides are still arguing about VADA tests. The question is still: which side is really to blame?
Just a few hours ago, @2ToneDaSupastar posted an update on X, stating, “ Devin Haney vs Brian Norman Jr. is currently in jeopardy .” The post included a clip from an online meeting where Bill Haney and Brian Norman Sr. failed to reach a clear agreement. Bill Haney, who had recently tweeted that they offered to initiate VADA testing immediately and even cover the costs, claimed that Norman Jr. wanted to delay testing until August 1. So now, Bill Haney, looking for a solution, stated, “We’ve got four months to prepare for the fight, right? So we need to be signed up and locked in from the bottom.”
Norman Sr. responded firmly, saying, “My son’s gonna be signed up. He said he’d be ready August 1st, like he told you.” Despite the explanation, Haney Sr. wasn’t convinced, interpreting the delay as an attempt to avoid random drug testing. So, pushing back, Bill Haney said, “Okay… so you’re giving me the answer that you guys aren’t signing up now.” The exchange escalated when Norman Sr. fired back, “Go tell Turki [Alalshikh] that since Brian Norman won’t sign up on July, whatever the day is, that y’all paying up for eight weeks, but we want to do extra testing and they’re refusing. Just go tell Turki you’re pulling out of the fight.”
Devin Haney vs Brian Norman Jr. is currently in jeopardy
Per @ThaBoxingVoice, the hold-up is over VADA testing.
Brian Norman Jr. won’t start testing until August 1st, but Devin Haney and Bill Haney want the testing to start now. pic.twitter.com/j87i1II9Yo
— 2ToneDaSupastar (@2ToneDaSupastar) July 18, 2025
Bill Haney, clearly unhappy with the exchange then ended the conversation with, “Listen, hey, listen. It’s no problem. I heard what you said, and then we just go from there.” To which Norman Sr. concluded, “All right, you’re afraid. Everybody said he was gonna find a reason to pull out the fight.” Yet, on closer inspection, it’s just a urine sample Brian Norman Jr. needs to provide to satisfy Haney’s camp. So the refusal to do so, despite the test being paid for, does lend some credibility to Haney’s concerns.
Devin Haney finds the shortcut to settle the standoff
After his April bout with Ryan Garcia was ruled a no-contest due to Garcia testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine, Devin Haney is leaving nothing to chance in his upcoming fights. Moreover, with doping scandals continuing to make headlines, such as those involving Francisco Rodriguez Jr. and light heavyweight Imam Khataev, who recently tested positive for Clomifene according to the International Testing Agency (ITA), Haney is doubling down on fighter safety and fairness.
So ahead of his November 22 showdown with WBO World Welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. at ANB Arena in Riyadh, “The Dream” has enrolled in VADA’s enhanced drug testing program. On top of it, he even posted on X, stating, “Boxers should [be] obligated to do 365 testing,” and has now directed that demand squarely at Norman Jr. But when Norman’s camp reportedly declined to begin testing immediately, Haney didn’t hesitate to call it out, suggesting his opponent might be stalling, and possibly hiding something.
On Friday, Devin Haney directly responded to Norman’s position on VADA testing via X, quoting his opponent and firing back: “F— your vacation.. u n the biggest fight of your life. VADA can come anywhere n the world. Sign your paperwork like u said did already.” The 32-0 boxer is angry since the request is so simple. Norman merely needs to send in a sample to avoid any more problems. But the delay has raised a lot of questions. What do you think? Is there a reason why Team Norman is taking so long? Or maybe they’re just not playing well?
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