One of the few fights in recent memory where Haynie wasn’t the favorite. And he proved everyone wrong. Or if not all, then most.
Haney should have worried about Norman’s strength before the fight. And it was not worth it already during the match itself Devin Haney has enough problems with boxing starting in the spring of 2024. Then he faced Ryan Garcia in the ring and things went wrong.
The opponent did not make weight – paid a fine, but had an advantage in kilograms. Later, in the ring, he hit Devin with a left side more than once and more than twice. And before the confrontation, Haney himself declared that the opponent had nothing but the left side. And then there was a doping scandal: Ryan passed positive tests for banned substances. And got a disqualification and annulment of the result of the fight.
Haney seemed to be right. However, he was also punished for dancing after the result was cancelled. It didn’t seem right considering Ryan was beating him for most of the match.
However, Devin also strengthened his negative attitude towards himself. First, he beat the smaller Regis Progress. And in the future, he ran from Jose Carlos Ramirez, not wanting to give a real fight to his opponent at all. Despite the fact that Ramirez has not been in the same condition he was in when he fought Taylor or Postol for a long time. However, these two put on a much better matchup against Jose Carlos than Devin.
On the other side of the ring, Haney this time was confronted by a guy the fans love. Not big numbers – Norman, against Devin’s background, is a little-known boxer. However, those who saw Bryan’s fights wished him victory.
The point is that Norman is fun to watch. He is a bright boxer who goes into the ring to fight. Brian has a punch, he has precision, he has a hard fist. He does not make you sad.
Even against this background, most wanted Haynie to lose, although the bookies believed in the chances of both fighters about equally. Simply because it is, Devin is a good and technical boxer. No, he’s not fun to watch, and he’s overpaid for fights that aren’t dynamic at all.
The American ran to prove the opposite almost immediately. If in the 1st round of the fight against Norman everything went well for him, then in the 2nd something unexpected happened. Knockdown by Devin Haney.
The boys began trading blows, and Haney landed a left hook and then several more between the gloves. The opponent is on the ground.
Immediately after that, it seemed that Haney was going to finish off Norman. That would be a show! The American goes for a title shot. Everyone says that there is no chance. And he knocks out the champion in the 2nd round. However, the knockout did not work out.
And neither here nor later, although Norman did not take Haney’s blows very well for some time.
Eventually, Bryan got used to it and took the edge of the duel. Not clean, close. Without danger and possible knockdowns or knockouts in return. However, he took it.
However, this was not enough to win. All the judges, albeit with different scores, gave the victory to Devin Haney. And they did the right thing, because he won this fight. There was nothing to argue about or discuss. It’s all business.
Getty Images/Global Images Ukraine What now? Norman is waiting for a comeback. At the age of 24, there can be as many of them as you want, but he only has that many. It is still necessary to improve the skills, because against the background of Devin Haney, it looked mediocre. And jabs cannot be compared at all. However, there is something to push back from and where to develop, if there is such a desire.
But it is not clear about Haney. It would be logical to put him with Ryan Garcia, but he goes to fight for the championship against the holder of the WBC title Mario Barrios.
You can meet Rolando Romero. Try to take the belt, and then go to an even more massive union.
The road is open for Devin. He won confidently. Yes, the fans will still hate him, but that knockdown will sell the American’s next meeting with a guarantee.
The only thing that is important is to choose a normal opponent. Because the same Jack Catterall who recently won by knockout is not convenient or stellar for Devin. And he wants money.
So is Karen Chukhajian. Not even the same, but less interesting. Also through the media component.
Much will depend on the Organization. But the WBO is flexible, and if Devin asks for a chance to fight someone else and the fight brings in money, the Organization will agree. Because this is their income.
Source: sport.ua