Norman retains WBO 147 title with KO of year contender vs. Sasaki
After dominant performance on road in Tokyo, he laments that unified champion 'Boots' Ennis announced plans to leave the division
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Brian Norman Jr. traveled to Jin Sasaki’s hometown of Tokyo to make his second WBO welterweight title defense and made sure not to leave it in the hands of the judges.
Instead, Norman dominated Sasaki before annihilating him with a flush left hook on the chin in the fifth round for a bona fide knockout of the year contender in the main event of an Ohashi Promotions card on ESPN+ on Thursday at Ota City General Gymnasium.
Sasaki was out cold and quickly removed from the ring on a backboard and whisked to the hospital. But he was soon cleared and released, Carl Moretti, the vice president of Norman promoter Top Rank, who was ringside along with 93-year-old Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, told Fight Freaks Unite.
It was an impressive and explosive performance from Norman, who, at age 24, remains boxing’s youngest current male world titleholder. Had the 23-year-old Sasaki won he would have taken over that status but he never came close.
“It was a wonderful fight,” Norman said. “I had a great opponent in front of me. You all seen he got heart. That boy is not a slouch at all. I give nothing but props to him. I love ya’ll over here in Japan. I will gladly come back.”
From the outset it was all Norman, who embraced his 7,000-mile journey from the Atlanta area to Tokyo to defend his title as he scored his third dominating knockout in a row.
