It took just four years for Devin Haney to capture the WBC World Lightweight title in 2019. Though he was elevated to the full champion status, he formalized the milestone on the KSI vs Logan Paul undercard by knocking down Alfredo Santiago in the fifth round, cutting his left eye with power punches in round 11, and then handing Santiago his first professional loss by UD. Haney would later unify the division against George Kambosos Jr. in June 2022, becoming the youngest undisputed lightweight champion in history. He defended it twice, once in a rematch with Kambosos and the second against Vasiliy Lomachenko in May 2023. Since then, he’s moved past light welterweight, becoming a two-division world champion. Now, at 26, he is on his way to welterweight for his third division title.
In contrast, it took Brian Norman Jr. seven years to secure the WBO World Welterweight title. But one standout trait of the 24-year-old Brian Norman Jr. is his punching power, evident in his impressive 78.57% knockout ratio, significantly higher than Devin Haney’s 46.88%, especially as Haney has adopted a more defensive style in recent bouts. While Haney holds the edge in professional experience, his recent performances against Ryan Garcia and Jose Ramirez have raised some questions. That’s probably one of the reasons why a former champion now believes Haney may end up withdrawing from his scheduled 12-round, 147 lbs title fight against Norman on November 22 in Riyadh.
Former welterweight champion Shawn Porter, who retired in 2021 after a loss to Terence Crawford, shared a video on his The Porter Way Podcast YouTube channel, expressing why he believes Devin Haney will withdraw from his upcoming bout. In the video, Porter confidently stated, “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 think the fight happens.” He continued, “I think there’s going to be something within the Haney camp that prevents this fight from happening.”
Shawn Porter predicts someone in Devin Haney camp will pull the plug on the Brian Norman fight #Boxing #HaneyNorman
[ YT – ThePorterWayPodcast ] pic.twitter.com/95wCCo77J8
— Benji (@JhusLeftarm) July 12, 2025
However, Porter was quick to clarify his stance. “I’m not saying they’re ducking Brian Norman Jr.,” he explained, “But what I’m saying is that this doesn’t make sense to me. It’s just something that I don’t know what it makes sense for the Haney camp and I think that they’re gonna maybe realize something and they’re gonna… um, something’s gonna happen and they were going to end up backpedaling out of it.”
It’s highly unlikely that Devin Haney will pull out of the fight, as he understands the importance of securing a strong bout to maintain his dominance in the division. But is he afraid to face Brian Norman Jr.? His opponent certainly thinks so.
Brian Norman Jr. claims Devin Haney’s nervousness fueled pre-fight tension
The tension between Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr. boiled over during a promotional appearance near Times Square, where Haney took exception to The Assassin II placing a finger on his chest. The brief physical altercation occurred while both were handling media responsibilities ahead of their November 22 welterweight title clash in Riyadh. Norman later shared his perspective during an interview with The Ring, offering insight into what led to the confrontation involving Haney and his bodyguard.
According to the 28-0 boxer, things were initially respectful between the two fighters, with a cordial atmosphere until the conversation shifted to how the fight was made. The tone reportedly changed when Devin Haney claimed he was giving Norman an opportunity. Norman, the defending WBO welterweight champion, disagreed, insisting that as the champion, he was not the one being granted a shot.
“We be vibin’, man,” Norman recalled. “We just be chilling. We just good people, come in, shake hands and show teeth. You know how the game go? I don’t know why they came with all this hostility, my brother. I think they might be a little nervous.” He further added, “I don’t know what it is. You know what I’m saying? Maybe they, tryin’ to put all they energy on us. Nah, it’s still gonna be the same thing – you(Devin Haney) still goin’ to sleep.”
With the betting odds slightly favoring the former lightweight champion, Devin Haney will be making his welterweight debut against a confident Norman, who is coming off three consecutive knockout wins. That said, how credible do you think Shawn Porter’s predictions are in this situation?
The post “Not Saying They’re Ducking” – Former Champion Explains Why Devin Haney Will Pull Out of Norman Jr. Clash appeared first on EssentiallySports.
