Devin Haney walked into Riyadh fighting doubt from critics, doubt created by his lackluster win over Jose Ramirez, and doubt lingering from the night Ryan Garcia dropped him three times before the result was overturned. But on Saturday night, Haney reminded the boxing world why he calls himself “The Dream.”

The 27-year-old delivered a knockdown, a masterclass behind the jab, and a unanimous decision over the dangerous Brian Norman Jr. And in the strangest twist of the night, his performance ended up lining the pockets of the last man to beat him or kinda beat him. Because while Haney fought for legacy, Ryan Garcia was fighting for something very different, a $93,000 payout!

Gleefully stirring the pot, Garcia posted a screenshot hours before on X of a $50,000 wager on Haney to win, captioned, “Don’t let me down my son,” followed by another post boasting, “My 50k locked in.” It was classic Garcia, half troll, half cheerleader, fully invested. The man who knocked Haney down three times in April, now needed Haney’s greatness to cash in. Did he genuinely believe Haney would win? Or was he simply weaponizing irony the way only Garcia can?

Either way, Haney delivered for him. The knockdown came early, a sharp check left hook followed by a right hand that sent Norman Jr. to the canvas in Round 2. From there, Devin Haney controlled the rhythm, exposing Norman Jr.’s habit of keeping his head on the center line.

Judges scored it 114-113, 117-110, and 116-111, a dominant result, even if Norman Jr. rallied late in rounds eight through ten. For Haney, it was redemption and the WBO welterweight title. For Garcia, it was a windfall. And this latest twist adds another strange layer to boxing’s most chaotic rivalry.

Their first fight was already one of the sport’s wildest stories: Garcia missing weight, a $500,000-per-pound bet, Haney losing via majority decision, and then the entire result was reversed months later after Garcia tested positive for Ostarine. Now, Haney’s comeback moment has, ironically, boosted Garcia’s bank account. But what does that say about where the rivalry stands?

Ryan Garcia announces fight against Mario Barrios as Devin Haney claims three-division title

While Devin Haney’s win put money in Garcia’s pocket, it also reopened a spotlight on Garcia’s own uncertain path filled with sudden rises, sharp stumbles, and opportunities that seem to appear just as quickly as they vanish. And now, with a new title fight signed, the stakes for Garcia have never been more complicated.

Just days before Haney returned to form in Riyadh, Garcia revealed that he had officially signed to fight WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on February 21. This comes despite Garcia losing his last fight, a unanimous decision to Rolando “Rolly” Romero. Still, he framed the announcement triumphantly.

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“My next fight announcement, I got the contract right here like I promised you guys. I am going to be fighting for the real WBC championship belt against Mario Barrios Feb. 21. Get ready,” he said.

Barrios may offer a favorable matchup, coming off back-to-back draws against Manny Pacquiao and Abel Ramos, yet the welterweight division around them is heating up fast. Conor Benn is lurking, calling out Barrios after beating Chris Eubank Jr., and Benn and Garcia have already begun exchanging barbs online. Add Devin Haney, now a three-division champion, to the mix, and 2026 suddenly looks like a collision course waiting to happen.

But buried beneath the noise is a reminder of how we got here. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, Haney had revealed he dropped his lawsuit against Garcia stemming from their infamous 2024 fight.

“That wasn’t something [I wanted]. I’m a fighter — I want to get it back in the ring. I want to get it back in blood, and that was my mindset from the start to the end. I’ve always wanted to do a rematch,” he admitted.

It was supposed to happen in 2025 under Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season banner. Haney did his part by beating Jose Ramirez. Garcia didn’t, falling to Romero and collapsing the entire plan. Now, the rivalry resets once again as one cashed-in betting slip won’t change the past. But it does add fuel to a saga that refuses to stay quiet!