Brian Norman: record, next fight and profile →
The World Boxing Organization on Monday announced that new four-division champion Terence Crawford has vacated his welterweight belt in order to fight as a junior middleweight, elevating Brian Norman Jr. to full WBO welterweight titleholder.
Kenneth Sims Jr. saw multiple changes of opponent in the lead-up to August 10. The initial announcement of his fight made on July 26 had him taking on Jesus Perez, 25-5 (18 KOs), who lost a pair of decisions to Alexis Rocha and Brian Norman Jr. but took a split decision over Joseph Diaz Jr. this past February.
The greatest takeaway from Jaron Ennis’ first welterweight title defense, a fifth-round stoppage of Russia’s David Avanesyan on Saturday night, is what a pure talent he is.
Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s days as a junior welterweight appear to be numbered. Lopez, a 140-pound WBO champion, could soon be bringing his “Takeover” mantra to the welterweight division, he revealed on Saturday.
Interim WBO welterweight titleholder Brian Norman Jr. is open to a potential bout with Teofimo Lopez Jr. should Lopez decide to move up from junior welterweight, though Norman emphasized his primary goal is to unify titles.
Jaron Ennis will defend his title for the first time against David Avanesyan on July 13 in a Philadelphia homecoming, but he has loftier ambitions he's burning to fulfill: "I know I can beat anybody they put in front of me."
Brian Norman Jr. considered what he was up against: Fighting in the hostile hometown of come-forward, unbeaten fighter Giovani Santillan with nothing less than a welterweight world title on the line.
Brian Norman Jr. caused a shock with his 10th-round knockout of hometown hero Giovani Santillan.
Fighting in front of his home crowd, Santillan had early success bullying his way inside, but Norman was the busier fighter, landing 52 more power punches. A Norman uppercut at the end of the eighth round caused Santillan to bleed profusely from the nose. Norman knocked Santillan down in the tenth round, and a final uppercut ended the fight.