Haney Had No Choice But To Fight Norman Jr., Says Norman Sr.

Brian Norman Sr. says Devin Haney had no choice but to agree to the fight against WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. for The Ring IV event on November 22nd in Riyadh. He states that Haney had just signed a $36 million, three-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh.

Turki’s Offer Haney Couldn’t Refuse

So, when Turki asked Haney if he would take the fight with Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs), he had to agree because he would have looked like a “p****y” if he said no. Also, Devin had a reputation for being willing to fight anybody. His refusal to fight with Norman Jr. would have shot a hole through his rep for being fearless.

“I know the deal they [Team Haney] made [with Turki Alalshikh]. It was $36 million. They were looking for fights for Devin Haney,” said Brian Norman Sr. to MillCity Boxing about why Devin Haney and Bill Haney accepted the fight with Brian Norman Jr.

With the money that Norman Sr. says Haney is getting for his three-fight deal with Turki, it’s understandable why he was being asked to fight Norman Jr. If you’re paying someone that much money, you want value.

Devin had already been given a gimme in his previous fight on Turki’s May 2nd Times Square card, fighting the worn-out ex-WBC and WBO light welterweight champion Jose Ramirez. He’d performed poorly in that fight.

Reputation on the Line

“So, Turki says [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,” said Norman Sr.

That would have made Haney look bad in the eyes of Turki if he’d refused the fight with Norman Jr., asking instead for another Ramirez-like opponent that was a sure thing for him.

No Way Out for Team Haney

“‘You already said you wanted a fight. I got the best guy [Norman Jr.] in the division. He already agreed to fight you. Let’s fight,’” said Norman Sr. about what he believes Turki Alalshikh told Haney. “What are you going to say? ‘Nah, let’s try the other guy.’”