Brian Norman Jr. Vs. Jin Sasaki WBO Title Fight In The Works For June 19th In Tokyo

WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr’s next title defense against #2 Jin Sasaki is in in the works for June 19th in Tokyo, Japan.

WBO 147-lb champion, Norman Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs), is understandably focusing on taking the best-paying fight available. Norman Jr. sees this fight against Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs) as a way to increase his international appeal, make good money, and build himself into a star.

Jake Donovan reports that Norman Jr-Sasaki would be the headliner with Cristian Araneta battling Thanongsak Simsri on the undercard. Those two would be fighting for the vacant IBF junior flyweight belt.

Impasse

Norman Jr. and his dad, Brian Sr., had hoped to set up a unification fight against unified welterweight champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, but it doesn’t look like that fight is doable. Boots’ promoter, Eddie Hearn, chose not to meet Norman Jr’s asking price last September. Matchroom promoter Hearn was unyielding with his negotiations, choosing not to increase the offer from $1.7 million to $2.2 million.

That stubbornness with Hearn shows that he expects to get Norman Jr. at a bargain-basement discount price. That’s never going to work. Ennis needs to wake up and smell the coffee and realize he’s not going to get the opportunity to fight for any further unification fights to accomplish his forlorn goal of becoming the undisputed welterweight champion.

The way Hearn has been talking since Jaron’s victory over WBA 147-lb champion Eimantas Stanionis on April 12th, he’s not going to offer Norman Jr. the kind of money he’s hoping to get for a unification. In other words, he’s seen as a challenger rather than a champion. That’s not going to work for Norman Jr. and his father, Brian Sr.

Norman Jr. hasn’t mentioned the kind of money he expects for a fight against Boots Ennis, but his original asking price of $2.2 million is likely to have increased to $3 million. Hearn will be kicking himself for not paying what Brian Jr. was asking for last September, because that low price likely no longer exists.

Sasaki’s Profile

The Japanese native, Saski, 23, hasn’t fought many notable fighters during his seven-year professional career. Four years ago, Sasaki was knocked out in the eleventh round by the unbeaten Andy Hiraoka on October 19, 2021.

Jin was dominated by the older fighter Hiraoka throughout the fight, losing almost every round before being stopped in round 11. However, Sasaki was only 19 at the time, and too young to be taking on a polished fighter like Hiraoka. Since that fight, he’s won eight of his last nine fights. The only blemish came in a six-round draw against Kotaro Sekine in 2022.