By Elliot Raines: Coach Kenny Ellis says whether Devin Haney can go the full distance of 12 rounds on November 22 with WBO welterweight champion, Brian Norman Jr., will come down to whether he still fights “shy” as he showed in his last fight earlier this year on May 2.
The appearance of panic in the Ramirez fight
Ellis saw a lot of fear in Haney (32-0, 16 KOs) and noted that he had the look of “panic” to him in his fight against former WBC and WBO light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez on May 2. He says that if Devin is like that against Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) fight, he won’t get past the halfway mark.
Haney-Norman Jr. fight in the co-feature slot on DAZN PPV on The Ring IV David Benavidez Vs. Anthony Yarde card at the ANB Arena in Riyadh. This is a must win fight for Haney as there is a chance he could fight a rematch with Ryan Garcia if he prevails.
“It depends on if Haney is shy. In the last fight, he was shy. He didn’t move with skill. He moved like more panicked,” trainer Kenny Ellnis said. MillCity Boxing when asked if Devin Haney would go 12 rounds with Brian Norman Jr. on Nov. 22. “It’s a difference.
Haney will have to be “shameful” if he doesn’t want to put his chin on the line, and on June 19, 2025 like Norman Jr.’s last challenger, Jin Sasaki, earlier this year on June 19, 2025. He was knocked out cold in the fifth round. Norman Jr. punches harder than Ryan Garcia, and he had Devin on the canvas three times in their fight in April 2024.
Can Haney return to the fighter he was before Ryan got to him in time for him to beat Norman Jr. be dethroned on November 22? He looked like he was still shaken from his front line duty against Garcia.
Haney’s Size Edge is gone at 147
Realistically, it’s not likely that Haney will return to the way he fought when he campaigned at 135 without a mind meltdown. But back then he was much bigger than his opponents, and he never fought any big punch. So he could get away with fighting aggressively with his size advantage and his weaker opponents. He can’t do that against Norman Jr. It will be fun to see Devin try, but the end results could be bad for him.
“So, if he could do it with skill, it could be a 12-round decision. If he panics there, I don’t see it going past the halfway mark,” Ellis said of Haney getting knocked out by the sixth round if he panics.
Elliot Raines has been covering British and European boxing since 2010. Known for his sharp pen and low tolerance for hype, Raines analyzes the sport’s politics, promoters and paper champions with dry precision.
Last updated on 11/06/2025
