WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. arrived in Riyadh with a blunt message ahead of his title defense against Devin Haney: he does not intend to leave his fate in the hands of the judges. The unbeaten 24-year-old made it clear during Tuesday’s Grand Arrival ceremony that his plan is to end the fight early and remove any opportunity for a controversial decision.
Despite entering as the defending champion and betting favorite, Norman Jr. finds himself positioned as the B-side. Haney’s name appears first in the promotion, and talk of a Haney–Ryan Garcia rematch has already surfaced before Saturday’s bout. That backdrop only reinforces Norman’s mistrust. “Knock him out. I ain’t trying to do no 12 rounds. I don’t trust no judges at all,” he said. “I got the power to judge myself, and I’m going to go out there and use it.”
Haney, meanwhile, is framing the fight as another chapter in his pursuit of elite competition. He last fought on May 2, 2025, defeating Jose Ramirez and while being long known for neutralizing opponents through evasion rather than exchanges, the champion anticipates difficulty in drawing the challenger into consistent exchanges. “Brian Norman is the champion, and I’m the challenger,” Haney said, calling the matchup a “dream come true.”
So, whether Haney’s movement can blunt Norman’s power, or whether the champion’s aggression forces the issue, will be settled under the lights on Saturday.
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Image Credit: Top Rank