Notebook: 147 titlist Norman sees big picture ahead of Cuevas defense
Collazo embraces being on hostile turf; G. Fundora to defend undisputed title; MVP signs four women; Matchroom Boxing signs undefeated heavyweight; WBC purse bid; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Brian Norman Jr. is anxious to get back to work and make his first WBO welterweight title defense after 10 months out of the ring due to a hand injury. But he also has the bigger picture in mind, a sign of uncommon maturity from a young man who, at age 24, is the youngest active male world titleholder in boxing.
“It is the biggest moment of my boxing career but I realized my dreams are much bigger than being a champion,” Norman told Fight Freaks Unite of what he was thinking when he won the belt. “That’s one step to it, but to be a legend you got to keep coming back and back and back again. Pernell Whitaker once said you can become a champion but it’s harder to defend the belt and this is my time to defend the belt.”
Norman will defend his 147-pound title against Derrieck Cuevas in the co-feature of the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card headlined by the rematch between WBO women’s welterweight titlist Mikaela Mayer and former titleholder Sandy Ryan on Saturday (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET) at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas.