Devin Haney handed him the first defeat of his professional career and took away his WBO world title, but American boxer Brian Norman Jr holds no grudge against his compatriot and has even publicly acknowledged his merits. However, Norman would now like a rematch to overturn the result of the fight that took place last November 22.
On that occasion, Haney scored a heavy knockdown in the second round and built a very significant lead on the scorecards during the first two-thirds of the contest. “The Assassin II” produced a brave late rally, but his efforts were not enough to put the outcome back in doubt.
Following that defeat, Norman decided to end his long-standing partnership with his father, who had trained him for many years, and placed himself under the guidance of veteran trainer Ronnie Shields. Norman Sr had been heavily criticized for the advice he gave his son during the bout with Haney, especially for urging him to attack without hesitation in the early rounds, assuring him that his opponent was not dangerous.
When asked by The Ring reporters whether he would be willing to face “The Dream” again, Norman Jr did not hesitate:
“Most definitely. You think I’m just gonna let that happen and go about my business? Boy, no. Devin Haney’s still active, I’m still active. As a matter of fact, he’s still at welterweight. Why wouldn’t that door open up again?”
Norman also explained what, in his opinion, went wrong on the night he lost the title:
“I was fighting more so emotional instead of being myself. It’s a lesson learned. I got to take my hat off to Devin Haney for doing that. He won the mental warfare battle. It got me out of my character, I just salute him. You live and you learn.”
According to the latest rumors, Haney is negotiating with WBA champion Rolando “Rolly” Romero for a unification bout. We will see if and when Norman Jr will get another chance to face his talented rival.