Did Haney Try To Duck Norman Jr.?

“I know the deal they [Team Haney] made. It was $36 million. They were looking for fights for Devin Haney. “So [they say to Haney], ‘We got a guy [Norman Jr.] and he already agreed.’ Do you go back and say, ‘Nah, let’s fight another guy,’ or do you say, ‘Alright, cool, let’s run it?’ What are you going to say? You’re going to look like a p****y. Especially when they’re saying, ‘Devin Haney will fight anybody.’ He had no choice but to take the fight,” Norman Sr. said 

The Reality

Haney’s career has been marked by his willingness to bet on himself, often operating outside the immediate comfort zone of his promoters. A prime example is his initial move up to lightweight to pursue the undisputed championship. Haney aggressively pursued George Kambosos Jr. in Australia—twice—to unify the lightweight division. He also faced Vasiliy Lomachenko when he did not have to do so, having already been undisputed, even if many believe he lost that fight.

Even his “dull” win over Jose Ramirez was strategically necessary: after the Garcia chaos, Haney’s primary goal was to secure a win and rebuild trust with his new Saudi partners, prioritizing victory over spectacle. Taking the Norman Jr. fight, therefore, offers him a chance to make history. He is fighting for a third division title.