In the latest Ring welterweight rankings, Devin Haney has been moved to the #1 spot after his victory over WBO champion Brian Norman Jr. last Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The ranking panel was impressed enough with his 12-round unanimous decision to place him at the top spot.
Haney Leaps to the Throne
It’s a controversial ranking because Devin landed only 70 punches in the 12-round fight, mostly jabs. Before being vaulted to #1, Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) wasn’t rated in the top 10.
- Devin Haney
- Brian Norman Jr.
- Eimantas Stanionis
- Giovani Santillan
- Rohan Polanco
- Shakhram Giyasov
- Alexis Rocha
- Raul Curiel
- Jack Catterall
- Mario Barrios
Haney didn’t fight well enough against Norman Jr. to indicate that he would beat the former amateur star Shakhram Giyasov, Jack Catterall, Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero, Karen Chukhadzhian, or Conor Benn. Those fighters would have put a lot more pressure on Haney than Norman Jr. did, and wouldn’t have hesitated to throw the way he did.
Chukhadzhian and Rolly Snubbed
Missing from the top 10 rankings are Karen Chukhadzhian and WBA Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero. Not having them on the list is a notable omission. Karen gave Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis the toughest fight of his career on November 9, 2024, losing a 12-round unanimous decision.
“I feel like Devin will beat Ryan in the rematch,’ said Regis Prograis to YSM Sports Media. “I think Conor Benn could give him a run for his money. I do. Conor Benn is kind of small. He’s a little wide. Devin is taller [by one inch]. He’s longer, and he’s the better boxer.
“Conor Benn believes in himself. When you believe in yourself, it’s kind of hard to deal with. I think Conor Benn probably could. Yeah [Devin would be the favorite]. It’s boxing. It’s not fighting. He’s getting bigger, and getting stronger.
“I would favor Boots in that fight,” said Prograis when asked if he would favor Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis over Haney. “Boots can take a punch. At 147, I would favor Devin over everybody else.”