Coach Greg Hackett says he believes that Brian Norman Jr. can retrain for his fight against Devin Haney on November 22nd.
Too much work, too soon
Hackett notes that this is the first time WBO welterweight champion Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) has faced a high-level fighter before. He believes he is putting in too much work with only a month to go, and he sees Brian Jr. as “overprepared” for battle.
If Norman Jr. overtrained, his strength will still be pretty formidable, as he doesn’t look big for the 147-lb division. Of the two, Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) has a better shot at making weight, as he looks bigger than his middleweight sparring partner, Troy Isley. Devin looks to weigh in the mid-160s, making him a super middleweight.
Haney vs. Norman Jr. will fight in the 12-round co-main event on November 22, 2025 at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will be shown live on DAZN PPV.
“Norman’s best bet is to make it a physical fight. Trying to box Devin Haney out, that’s not going to happen,” trainer Greg Hackett said. MillCity Boxing about what Brian Norman Jr. opposed in the fight against master boxer Devin Haney.
Norman Jr. doesn’t make his fights “physical” like other fighters do. He doesn’t throw jabs, push, wrestle or punch below the belt to win. The way he wins is by hitting hard with every shot, applying pressure and forcing his opponents into fights.
Coach Hackett sounds like he’s never seen Norman Jr. before. don’t fight He confused himself with other fighters, who rely on fighting “physically”.
“The skills. Devin Haney is just an all-around better boxer than Norman. He can go in there unprepared by being overprepared,” Hackett says of Norman. “Norman has to be a relentless dog. He’s tough, he’s mean, but that doesn’t always win fights. It’s going to be a challenge for Norman,” Hackett said.
First True Test at 147
There is no doubt that Devin has better skills than Norman Jr. However, what Coach Hackett fails to mention is that this is Haney’s first real fight at 147 at full weight against a true welterweight. He made his debut in the division earlier this year against former WBC and WBO light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez in a 144-pound catchweight on May 2, 2025.
Olly Campbell’s Bottom Line: One clear shot could end Haney’s debut
On November 22, Haney makes his debut at welterweight in the truest sense against what many believe to be the biggest puncher in the division, Norman Jr. That chin goes through Brian Jr. being tested, and if it hasn’t gotten firmer since the Ryan Garcia fight, he’s going to get knocked out. Hopefully it’s not a stretcher where Haney is taken out of the ring in a prone position. If so, it will be a lesson to fighters about the need to be selective in who they fight in their debut at 147.
If Haney can stay out of range, hit and move all night, he will Norman Jr. defeated. This is not going to be a fight that resembles Haney’s last three wins over these fighters: Jose Ramirez, Regis Prograis and Vasily Lomachenko. These were all fighters nearing their mid-30s, and they lacked the strength that 24-year-old Norman Jr. didn’t have
It’s going to be hard for Devin to box for 12 rounds without getting caught. The odds of Haney not being tagged hard enough to put him down or stun him are low. His strike resistance has been too shaky since 2021 and has hurt in his fights against these fighters:
- Jorge Linares – 2021
- Vasily Lomachenko – 2023
- Ryan Garcia – 2024
Haney was good in his last fight against Ramirez, 33, but he faced a slow fighter who didn’t throw punches. Ramirez appeared to make minimal effort to cut off the ring. His movements did not show much urgency.
Last updated on 22/10/2025
