Devin Haney has set his sights on returning to the pinnacle of the sport this year.
The 26-year-old from San Francisco, California has had a frustrating 18 months, suffering what was initially the first defeat of his career in April 2024 to Ryan Garcia although the result was eventually overturned to a no contest after ‘King Ryan’ tested positive for a banned substance.
Haney made his long-awaited return to the ring on May 2 when he faced former unified super-lightweight champion Jose Ramirez in New York, and despite coming out on top against his countryman, ‘The Dream’ received heavy criticism for his performance on the night.
A new chapter awaits the unbeaten 26-year-old however, after it was confirmed earlier this month that he would make the move up to welterweight to challenge unbeaten WBO world champion Brian Norman Jr on November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In an interview with FightHype, Norman sent a message out to Haney ahead of their intriguing showdown later this year.
“Hey man, just be ready. You know what I’m saying? Imma throw down, hopefully you throw down as well, let’s go and get at it.”
Norman was then asked if he believes he will stop Haney, after he ended his latest title defence against Jin Sasaki in brutal fashion.
“Gotta get a knockout with everybody.”
Norman was elevated from WBO interim champion last August, after former champion Terence Crawford vacated the title ahead of his move up to super-welterweight.
The 24-year-old from Georgia remains unbeaten as a professional stopping 22 of the 28 opponents he has beaten since entering the paid ranks back in 2018.
