Devin Haney says he’s stronger now and his “punch resistance” has improved with the weight he’s put on in moving up to 147 for his title shot against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. on November 22nd at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia .
Norman Jr. and the Madness Factor
Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) doesn’t say how much weight he’s put on overall, as he’s been huge for years when fighting at 135 and 140. For him to see any improvements in his power, he’s going to have to be stationary to see the benefits. It won’t help if he moved constantly like he did in his last fight against Jose Ramirez on May 2, 2025, at Times Square in New York.
“I’m a little crazier than everybody. So, that’s an advantage that I have over everybody,” said Brian Norman Jr. to Ring Magazine about what he has going for him in his defense against Devin Haney on November 22nd.
The word that best fits Norman Jr. is “courageous.” He’s willing to put himself in the firing line to take shots to land his own. He’s also not afraid to deal with bigger people, as we saw during his scuffle with Haney’s heavyweight-sized bodyguard on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
The bodyguard grabbed Norman Jr. by his shirt and pulled it over his head during a face-off between him and Devin. Norman Jr. outmaneuvered the bodyguard, taking him to the ground. You could see the difference in strength between them.
When they both got up, people intervened. It was a good thing for the bodyguard because Norman Jr. looked like he was going to clock him. The strength and courage of Norman Jr. during this episode showed the kind of person he is. That would have been a bad look for Haney if Norman punched his bodyguard’s lights out after being jumped by him.
A Stronger Haney, or a Heavier Target?
“I’m much stronger in training and sparring. My punch resistance will be much better at 147. I think that’s naturally how it is. I was cutting down, killing myself to make 140 and 135. I’ll be at 147 for a while. This will be my best weight class,” said Devin Haney.
The sparring partners that Haney has used for this camp, Troy Isley and Elijah Flores, aren’t big punchers. They don’t fight like Norman Jr.
So for Haney to say that his “punch resistance will be much better,” it’s hard to take him seriously because he’s not been tested against a big puncher like Norman Jr or another power guy at 147.
Will Haney Abandon His Movement?
It would be an excellent idea for Devin not to get too bold and fight recklessly against Norman Jr. the way he did against Ryan Garcia, because it might backfire on him. Using the same movement that he employed in his last contest against Jose Ramirez earlier this year on May 2 would be a wise move.
“I’m not that big. I just got bricks for hands. I just put people out. That’s it,” said Norman Jr.
Haney looked physically as big as Norman Jr. back when he was still campaigning at 135 in 2023. He can drain down and put the weight back on without it affecting his performances.
It’s surprising, though, that Haney chose to move up from 135, because he could have stayed there for years. It may have kept him on top for a lot longer. Going up against the big Brian Norman Jr. is going to be a massive problem for him on November 22nd if he chooses to exchange with him.
The shots that Norman Jr. landed on his last three opponents, Jin Sasaki, Derrieck Cuevas, and Giovani Santillan, will be difficult for Haney to withstand without a dramatic improvement in his punch resistance.