BENAVIDEZ VS. YARDE & HANEY VS. NORMAN JR. WEIGH-IN, PRESSER, BETTING ODDS, MEDIA WORKOUT & PREVIEW
The Ring IV DAZN Night of Champions! ANB Arena Eight Bout Riyadh Season Preview
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By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (November 21st, 2025)-– The feature bout between Devin Haney and Brian Norman Jr. will highlight an eight bout international DAZN boxing card on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, entitled ‘The Ring IV Night of Champions’.
Norman, 28-0 with 22 knockouts, Conyers, Georgia, the World Boxing Organisation World Welterweight champion, is predicted to win and retain his world title by late round stoppage or knockout in a highly technical bout. Haney, 32-0 with 15 knockouts and one No Contest, Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great counterpuncher, but his chin remains suspect after getting dropped several times by Ryan Garcia. Norman must cut off the ring, counterpunch the counterpuncher, then remove himself from Haney’s numerous clinches in every round to prevent his offense from getting over and picking up any steam. Haney is 5’9″ tall, and his reach is 70.9 inches. Haney, 27, fights from a traditional orthodox stance.
Norman, 24, also an orthodox fighter, is 5’8″ with a 72-inch reach and is an accurate and meticulous boxer-puncher, the precise sort of dangerous fighter Haney could have major trouble with. This fighter will either be one weight class too many for Haney or one bout too soon for Norman. Since it could play out either way, the odds appear dead even on the surface. Haney, a world champion of control and structure, cannot hesitate in exchanges with Norman or will get hit. Haney is a fighter of patience. Norman is a fighter under pressure. When both worlds collide, neither fighter will want to yield control of the ring. Haney is technically precise. Norman is more of a risk-taker. The major issue here is that Haney is crisscrossing into a higher division where he has no business being, in my opinion.
Norman has a vicious left hook from the orthodox stance and a solid right hand. Haney has a spectacular jab and changes the tempo, while creating difficult angles for his opponents with his educated footwork. Norman is a legitimate world welterweight champion with a come-forward Rocky Marciano style. Haney is a good body puncher. However, Haney must neutralize Norman’s attacks before they occur. Haney must avoid Norman’s counterattacks. Walking into a higher weight class is not a walk in the park. Boots Ennis, Tank Davis, Shakur Stevenson, and Brian Norman Jr. have exposed no flaws. However, Haney, short of a rematch with Ryan Garcia, nobody wants to see, is taking on the best challenge available in an attempt to become a three-division world champion. In this particular case, Norman has too much power in the higher weight class, and Haney has run into an insurmountable roadblock.
Haney has superior lateral movement. However, Norman can cut off the ring with his footspeed. Boxing analysts have highlighted Haney’s ability to jab directly, then pivot away from an opponent’s power, which is superior to Norman’s inexperience. This particular viewpoint presupposes that Norman cannot cut off the ring and Haney can escape from him in the higher weight class. Haney fights from the outside, and counterpunches opponents coming forward with his check left hook or counter right hand. Norman rushes forward rapidly and can be countered. Norman’s jab cannot be lazy because Haney will counter.
Haney’s constant movement and solid defense can stifle his opponent’s rhythm. Norman was dropped by Janelson Bocachica, rushing into a corner in their March 2024 No Contest bout. For Haney to win, he has to be able to keep Norman at range and control the ring while on the move and clinch effectively once Norman closes the distance. Norman must cut off the ring and limit Haney’s movement and body punching. I feel Norman has power shots to eventually close the show.
Though this is the best matchup of the moment in the lower weight classes, Haney is not a natural welterweight and fought most of his career at 135lbs. Ryan Garcia proved Haney can be outworked while having success landing his left hook, and Norman, with a 79 percent knockout ratio, has considerably more power than Garcia. This reporter is predicting Norman to defeat Haney. Haney rebounded from that fight and defeated the Former World Light Welterweight Champion, Jose Ramirez in May of 2025. The betting odds are dead even at the moment.
The 6-foot-2 David Benavidez, 28, 30-0 with 24 knockouts, who fights out of the orthodox stance with 74 1/2 inches of reach, fights out of Las Vegas, Nevada, and is heavily favored to win by knockout over Anthony Yarde, 34, 30-3 with 22 KOs, who is 5-foot-11 with a 72-inch reach that also fights out of the orthodox stance.
Benavidez comes forward with heavy shots, and cuts a furious pace that breaks down even the best of opponents. Benavidez is a come-forward heavy-hitting power hitter. If his opponent lacks power, Benavidez’s eyes will be focused on getting the stoppage. His pressure is relentless till his opponents run out of gas. With every shot his opponent throws, Benavidez responds with heavy shots to his opponent’s face. His combinations are relentless as his opponent breaks down, with nowhere to hide. Yarde has been stopped by Sergey Kovalev and Artur Beterbiev and outpointed by Lyndon Arthur.
The template for David Benavidez to defeat Yarde is there. Above the rest of the pack, Benavidez is a super-fighter. Once Benavidez cuts off the ring, his punch volume, superior speed, and power are merciless; his structured guard is impenetrable. Benavidez is well-balanced, landing punches in range. Rather than maneuvering out of range, Benavidez uses his high guard to deflect punches while whittling away at his opponent’s defenses. After losing to Bud Crawford, Canelo Alvarez is unlikely to move up to 175 pounds to fight Benavidez. Rather, Benavidez is still a candidate to fight Bud Crawford or Canelo Alvarez at 168 pounds. Dmitry Bivol, post-surgery, is unavailable for a super fight at his time, making Artur Beterbiev the best divisional option for World Boxing Council champion Benavidez after he dispatches Yarde. It should be stated that Yarde could still put on a good accounting of himself for as long as this bout lasts, as Yarde has key experience.
Yarde has to establish his jab early, break Benavidez’ rhythm, and land solid combinations. Benavidez often has sloppy footwork, and if he makes the mistake of walking towards Yarde in a straight line, he could get timed. Benavidez, like the late Alexis Arguello, has a high ring I.Q., and as such will make adjustments as the bout with Yarde unfolds.
Robert Brizel’s Boxing Prediction Record (6-0-2).
Other Robert Brizel Riyadh Ring IV Night of Champions Predictions:
Abdulla Mason Win in 12 over Sam Noakes, Lightweights Vacant WBO World Lightweight title
Jesse Rodriguez Win by Split Decision in 12 over Fernando Martinez, Super Flyweights
Rodriguez is defending his WBC and WBO World Super Flyweight titles.
Fernando Daniel Martinez is the former undefeated IBF World Super Flyweight titleholder.
Vito Mielnicki Jr. Win in 10 over Samuel Nmomah, Middleweights
Vacant WBO Global Middleweight title
Muhammad Alakel Win in 6 over Jiaming Li, Super Featherweights
Julio Porras Ruiz Win in 6 over Pius Mpenda, Super Middleweights
Sultan Almohammed Win in 4 over Umesh Chavan, Lightweights
Sultan Almohammed, a Syrian boxer, will open the eight bout card.
Undercard:
Vito Milniecki Jr (21-1, 12KOs) vs Samual Nmomah (21-0, 5KOs) —Super Welterweight
Mohammed Alakel (6-0, 1KOs) vs Jiaming Li (7-5, 4KOs) —Super Featherweight
Julio Porras Ruiz (13-0, 9KOs) vs Pius Mpenda (11-4-1, 5KOs) —Super Middleweight
Soltan Almohammed (1-0, 0KOs) vs Umesh Chavan (3-1-1, 0KOs) —Lightweight
DAZN START TIMES:
- Haney vs. Norman Jr.: Ring walks are estimated for 8:01 p.m. ET.
- Benavidez vs. Yarde: Ring walks are estimated for 9:04 p.m. ET.
- Full broadcast: Begins at 3 p.m. ET.
Benavidez vs. Yard Card Average Betting Odds:
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