Brian Norman Jr. will put his WBO welterweight world title on the line against Japanese contender Jin Sasaki on June 19 in Tokyo. The 24-year-old Atlanta native, known as "The Assassin," aims to deliver another clinical performance in hostile territory.
Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) has been building an impressive career since turning professional at just 17 years old. He cut his teeth with early fights in Mexico before establishing himself stateside and eventually signing with Top Rank in early 2023.
His path to the championship wasn't exactly conventional. After silencing San Diego fans with a statement 10th-round knockout of Giovani Santillan to claim the interim title, Norman was elevated to full champion status. He wasted no time proving his worth, dispatching Puerto Rican puncher Derrieck Cuevas in just three rounds during his March defense.
Interestingly, his opponent Jin Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs) hasn't tasted defeat since moving up to welterweight. The Japanese fighter has been on a tear, collecting nine wins with seven knockouts in the division.
Sasaki's power is nothing to scoff at. He claimed the WBO Asia Pacific title in January 2023 with a one-round demolition of Ryota Toyoshima and has defended it five times since. Earlier this year, he went the distance for the first time, winning a 12-round decision against Shoki Sakai.
The Tokyo card features other compelling matchups. Japanese prodigy Sora Tanaka (3-0, 3 KOs) will contest the vacant OPBF welterweight title against veteran Takeru Kobata in just his fourth professional fight. Talk about a rapid rise!
For Filipino fans, southpaw Cristian Araneta (25-2, 20 KOs) will battle Thailand's Thanongsak Simsri (38-1, 34 KOs) for the vacant IBF junior flyweight world title. Both men enter on impressive winning streaks.
The action will stream live on ESPN+ in the U.S., though American viewers will need an early alarm – the broadcast begins at 4 a.m. ET with Norman and Sasaki expected to walk to the ring around 7:15 a.m. ET.
Will Norman's youth and perfect record prevail against Sasaki's power in front of his home crowd? The welterweight division gets another chapter in its storied history on June 19.
