In the co-main event of the spectacular “The Ring IV” card held in Riyadh, Brian Norman Jr.’s best qualities were almost completely neutralized by Devin Haney’s tactical strategy. “The Dream,” after scoring a heavy knockdown in the second round, intelligently managed the rest of the fight and took the WBO World Welterweight Title from the champion. These were the official scorecards, all in favor of the new titleholder: 114–113, 116–111 and 117–110.
As soon as the opening bell echoed inside the ANB Arena, Haney immediately went on the defensive, circling with a very high guard and focusing exclusively, during the first three minutes, on neutralizing the initiatives of his dangerous opponent.
And so Norman fell right into the trap. Seeing such an elusive and seemingly cautious challenger in front of him, “The Assassin II” committed the serious mistake of convincing himself he could march forward like a tank, neglecting defense as if he had nothing to fear. This overconfident attitude paved the way for the first (and, truth be told, only) real twist of the fight.
In the second round, a violent left hook from Haney destabilized Norman, who, after slightly wobbling, suddenly froze in place. The Dream took advantage of it by landing another left hook followed by a devastating right hand to the face that sent the champion crashing to the canvas.
Despite having many tools at his disposal, Haney is certainly not the most ruthless of finishers, and indeed—although he trapped Norman on the ropes and unloaded a barrage of punches—he could not find the winning combination to end matters early.
Norman regained clarity during the one-minute break, but the knockdown clearly affected him negatively, making him much less confident and assertive in the following rounds. Credit also goes to Haney, masterfully putting the fight to sleep by moving, slipping punches, and then landing just enough clean shots to stack up points on the scorecards.
The challenger alternated rounds in which he did the bare minimum to be preferred with others in which he was more proactive, showing not only his magnificent jab but also some beautifully executed right hands. Even when he let his hands go more frequently, he remained extremely careful not to expose himself or give his opponent opportunities to shift momentum.
Norman, for his part, often looked like a fish out of water. He is, by nature, a counterpuncher, and since Haney’s conservative approach deprived him of chances to unleash his dangerous counters, he spent entire rounds searching for an opening he could never find.
After falling into a virtually insurmountable deficit, the champion finally showed some signs of life in the ninth round, when one of his favorite combinations—quick right hand followed by a powerful left—found the target and caused Haney a bit of discomfort.
The challenger, however, had no intention of allowing his rival to create a dramatic, potentially explosive finish. Haney cleverly resorted to every trick in the book to turn the last three rounds into a festival of obstructionism.
His approach, combined with Norman’s clear difficulties in closing the distance effectively, made the final portion of the fight extremely dull and fragmented—but it allowed Haney to reach the final bell with a clean face and virtually no risk.
There was no doubt about the winner. Personally, I agree with Mr. Leszek Jankowiak’s scorecard (116–111), while I believe Mr. Mike Fitzgerald, with his 114–113 tally, was overly generous toward the defending champion, rewarding his aggression even in rounds where it was sterile and ineffective.
Now several interesting paths open up for Devin Haney.
If in February Ryan Garcia defeats Mario Barrios and becomes WBC welterweight champion, many will certainly call for a rematch between the two eternal “enemies.”
Another potential opponent is the British fighter Conor Benn, who watched Haney’s fight yesterday from the front row next to Eddie Hearn, pretending to fall asleep on the promoter’s shoulder when the cameras framed him—an ironic way to highlight how uneventful the bout was.
Norman Jr., meanwhile, will have to lick his wounds and learn from his mistakes to return to the spotlight. He is still young and has plenty of room for improvement. Considering how uninspiring the welterweight division is at the moment, he certainly has everything he needs to get back on track and earn a new world title shot very soon.