This week, Bill Haney lit social media on fire this week, publicly “looking for” unbeaten WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. The call-out comes on the heels of Devin Haney’s shaky decision victory over José Ramírez a month ago, in which ringside analyst Tim Bradley wondered if the lightweight-turned-junior-welter still has PTSD from last year's knockout loss to Ryan Garcia. It's clear Bill Haney is willing to plunge his 26-year-old son into 147-pound waters against a 24-year-old puncher whose fifth-round demolition of Jin Sasaki left the Japanese challenger stretchered from the Tokyo ring.
A Norman bout would be the opposite of the deliberate matchmaking leading to titles against an obviously aging Regis Prograis. Norman is young, fresh and brutal to the body, an “sink-or-swim” opponent for Devin Haney, whose record of 32-0 (15 KOs) belies durability questions at higher weights. Sadly, since Garcia is in post-Rolly limbo, there's not much racing against the clock out there: Teófimo Lopez walked away from a proposed Saudi payday because he was worried about judging. Taking a chance with Norman could put to rest questions at long last, plus get Devin a welterweight belt fight, assuming he survives the gauntlet.
There will be naysayers who remark it's reckless. But those who support risking more accountability say it's exactly the risk a champion is supposed to take so as to eliminate questions. Regardless, Bill Haney's public request has changed the story: from Devin's careful restart to a potential plunge into boxing's most dangerous neighborhood. The next move, acceptance or retreat will tell us whether Team Haney are really willing to bet on redemption or flirting with catastrophe.
Image Credit: Top Rank