Once hailed as the next Floyd Mayweather thanks to his technical brilliance and early training under Mayweather Sr., Devin Haney seemed destined for greatness. With notable victories over Yuriorkis Gamboa, Jorge Linares, Vasyl Lomachenko, and George Kambosos Jr., the 26-year-old was steadily building an elite resume from an early age. But everything began to unravel after Ryan Garcia entered the picture. Following a brutal loss in April 2024, the worst of his career, Haney may have kept his undefeated record intact due to Garcia’s failed drug test, but the damage to his reputation had already been done.

The situation worsened on May 2nd when Haney faced Jose Ramirez. Though he walked away with a unanimous decision win, his excessive lateral movement, dubbed a “running” tactic by critics only amplified public backlash. Adding to the frustration, Ryan Garcia’s unexpected loss to Rolando Romero delayed their anticipated rematch. A near-finalized deal with Teofimo Lopez also fell through, leaving Haney scrambling for momentum. However, ‘The Dream’ has been on the receiving end of a newfound admiration from boxing fans, thanks to him taking a fight against undefeated WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr.

The two are set to face each other in Haney’s official debut at 147 lbs in November in Riyadh. As one of the most dangerous opponents Haney has faced to date, Brian Norman Jr. is also coming off a dominant fifth-round knockout win last month. So, the fact that the former undisputed lightweight champion decided to take this fight at this time should speak volumes. However, Haney may not be such an underdog as many see him heading into the fight.

Yesterday, ahead of his July 19th clash with Manny Pacquiao, Mario Barrios sat down for an interview with FightHype. When asked about the upcoming Devin Haney vs. Brian Norman Jr. bout, the 30-year-old admitted, “Honestly, I was pretty surprised to hear when that fight was announced.” Barrios, who has previously sparred with Haney, praised the 26-year-old’s abilities: “I mean Devin, it’s his talent and his skill set. You know. I don’t think it’s to be questioned.” Still, he made it clear that Norman is no pushover.

“But Norman is a champ for a reason,” Barrios continued. And he chose to give a reality check, stating, “He is showing why he is one of the belt holders and why he is a threat. So yeah, I think Devin has more questions to answer than Brian Norman does.” Then came the warning. As the current WBC welterweight world champion, Barrios highlighted how Haney’s slick style isn’t easy to contend with. “But Devin does not have an easy style to look good against,” he said. “But I think definitely when it comes to just power and like explosiveness, I think Norman definitely has it.”

The interviewer followed up, noting that while the 32-0 boxer is favored by the bookmakers, concerns linger due to the left hooks he absorbed in the Ryan Garcia fight. “Brian has shown a really good left hook [in his last match against Jin Sasaki],” the reporter noted. “Do you think Devin should be the favorite just because of his experience, or is it 50-50?” Barrios didn’t hesitate to respond. “I think it’s 50-50. I mean like I said, Norman is the titleholder for a reason. So I think the fact that they have him as an underdog is pretty wild, even given Devin’s experience.”

Meanwhile, Devin Haney’s nemesis has decided to step back into the picture after the Brian Norman Jr fight got announced.

Devin Haney responds to Ryan Garcia’s White House proposal

Just a few days ago, when Donald Trump revealed that the White House might host a UFC event in 2026 to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, social media exploded with reactions. Among those chiming in was Ryan Garcia, who floated the idea of turning the iconic venue into a boxing ring. “Wouldn’t mind fighting Haney at the White House 😳,” Garcia tweeted. And within hours, Devin Haney delivered a pointed reply.

“Get back on your drug testing then…” Haney snapped back, drawing widespread support from fans who echoed his sentiment and dismissed KingRy’s callout. Haney has remained firm on this issue, having made drug testing a clear prerequisite for any potential rematch.

While talks of a rematch had started to re-emerge earlier this year, Ryan Garcia’s devastating loss to Rolando Romero only derailed momentum once again. Now recovering from a right-hand surgery, Garcia is sidelined and has time to reassess his career. As for Devin Haney, only time will tell if he is really destined for greatness. But a win over Norman Jr should solidify his position as one of the elites. So, who do you think takes it: Haney or Norman?