Brian Norman’s sparring partner, Elijah Flores, who also sparred with Devin Haney, is picking Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs) to win their fight on November 22 in Riyadh.
The Betrayal Inside the Gym
Haney’s sparring partner turns on him. Flores states that WBO welterweight champion Norman’s power, athleticism, “nasty hook,” and ability to cut off the ring will factor in his defeating Haney (32-0, 16 KOs). He says that to win a fight, you’ve got to be able to stand in the pocket against Norman Jr., and he doesn’t believe that Haney can do that.
Norman Jr-Haney will be fighting in the co-feature slot on the David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde card at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The event will be shown live on DAZN PPV. The price is $59.99 for U.S fans.
“I got it 60-40, Brian Norman. He’s athletic, cuts off the ring good, strong, quick, and nasty hook,” said Elijah Flores to MillCity Boxing, picking Brian Norman Jr. to defeat Devin Haney. “He’s able to get there. His feet are matching up with his hands.”
Norman Jr. has the reach advantage, an ability to cut off the ring, and a jab that is like a power punch. There can be no escape for Haney if he tries to make a run of it. Essentially, he has two choices:
- Stand & fight: Survival can be measured in minutes for Devin, but at least he’ll show courage before meeting his end.
- Run: This is a coward’s way, and it won’t work. Norman Jr. will get to him quickly.
Flores Sees What Haney Can’t
“For sure,” said Flores when asked if he got more out of sparring with Norman Jr. than in his sparring with Haney. “I think when it comes to a real fight, you’ve got to be able to sit. You got to be able to stay there. And I don’t see Haney staying there, not one bit. And, I think that’s going to favor Brian Norman.”
Elijah raises some good points. Devin won’t stay in the pocket and fight Norman Jr, because he’s going to be hyper-alert about getting hit. As Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn stated recently to FightHype, “Bill doesn’t want him to get hit. And they’re concerned about his punch resistance. That’s the truth.”
So, the Jerry-esque performance we saw from Haney in his last fight against Jose Ramirez on May 2 at Times Square in New York is a reflection of Bill being “concerned about [Devin] getting hit.”
That translates to Haney running even more against Norman Jr. than he did in his fight with Ramirez. He’s got to. It’ll be suicide if Dev stands and fights Norman Jr, as he won’t last three minutes. The bombs that Brian Jr. was hitting his last opponent, Jin Sasaki, on June 19th, would likely devastate Haney much faster than five rounds for the Japanese fighter.
Written by Ken Woods, Ringside Boxing Analyst, covering world title fights since 2018.
Last Updated on 10/19/2025
