After becoming world champion at both lightweight and super lightweight, Devin Haney is determined to claim a world title in a third weight class—welterweight. To do so, the American has set his sights on his dangerous compatriot, Brian Norman Jr.
“The Dream’s” desire to challenge the WBO titleholder was made clear by his father and manager, Bill Haney, who recently told Boxingscene that Norman will be offered the same purse he requested to fight Jaron Ennis: two million dollars.
With Ennis now firmly set on moving up to super welterweight, the race for dominance at 147 pounds is wide open, and both Haney and Norman Jr. are certainly among the most credible contenders for future success.
However, the two fighters left very different impressions the last time they stepped into the ring. Haney raised eyebrows for his extremely cautious and defensive approach in outpointing Jose Ramirez in a bout that produced more yawns than thrills. Norman, on the other hand, scored a sensational knockout on the road against Japan’s Jin Sasaki, earning widespread praise and acclaim.
That said, as the saying goes, “styles make fights,” and it’s hard to predict how the current WBO champion would cope with Haney’s relentless movement and hand speed.
Let’s hope negotiations between the two camps come to fruition so the new welterweight landscape—now without Jaron Ennis—can start to take shape.