What’s Next For Brian Norman Jr.?

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Jun 20, 2025 9:58 AM ET

Brian Norman Jr. defended his WBO Welterweight Title, beating Jin Sasaki via a fifth-round stoppage, as we look at his next steps.

Norman Jr. went undefeated with a 28-0 record, with 21 knockouts. He had stopped Giovani Santillan to secure the WBO Interim Title, after which he was elevated to the full champion, as Terence Crawford moved up to 154 pounds. The win takes him closer to unifying against the likes of Jaron Ennis or Mario Barrios. The win was all the more impressive since he had stopped Sasaki in his backyard, giving him only the second loss of his career.

The problem with the Ennis fight is that both sides have accused each other of ducking. Reports indicated that Norman Jr.’s team reportedly turned down an offer, with suggestions that they wanted more money. However, the fight is unlikely to happen since Ennis has confirmed his move up to 154. Norman Jr. called out Ennis, stating he was ducking.

Options

“I was slightly disappointed. I did wanna fight him at ’47, but it may happen in the future at ’54. [And] I believe he’ll be there for a minute or two and I’ll be up there. But for the time being I’ll make my noise down here at ’47, take over, knock everybody’s name off the list and let everybody know that ‘B-Norm The Storm’ is here. The Norman Experience has commenced and y’all fittin’ to fall,” Norman Jr. stated

The other alternative is to target the winner of Mario Barrios vs. Manny Pacquiao. Barrios defends his WBC Welterweight Title, knowing a win sets up a unification. Barrios has also suggested that he will move up to 154 pounds when the time is right, giving Norman Jr. a window to get that fight before that happens. Barrios is expected to beat Manny, who returns at 46, having not boxed professionally since his 2021 loss to Yordenis Ugas.

Another option is to take on Devin Haney. Haney returned from his Ryan Garcia no-contest to secure a victory against Jose Ramirez. Devin has said that Norman Jr. is using his name for clout, stating that he will price himself out of a fight. However, a fight gives Haney a chance to become a three-weight world champion, making it an appealing fight if terms can be agreed.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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