• Brian Norman Jr. 146.8 lbs vs. Jin Sasaki 146.8 lbs
(Norman’s WBO Welterweight World Title — 12 Rounds)
Referee: Gustavo Tomas (Argentina)
Judges: Richard Blouin (Canada), Tetsuya Iida (Japan), and Robin Taylor (USA)
 
•   Sora Tanaka 146.8 lbs vs. Takeru Kobata 146.8 lbs
(Vacant OPBF Welterweight Title — 12 Rounds)
 
•  Yuya Oku 125.4 lbs vs. Reiya Abe 125.7 lbs
(Vacant Japanese Featherweight Title — 10 Rounds)

•  Cristian Araneta 107.6 lbs vs. Thanongsak Simsri 107.4 lbs
(Vacant IBF Light Flyweight World Title — 12 Rounds)

TOKYO (June 17, 2025) — Atlanta’s newest world champion traveled nearly 7,000 miles to take care of business.

WBO welterweight king Brian Norman Jr. has finished preparations for Thursday’s world title defense against Japanese challenger Jin Sasaki at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo. This is the second title defense for Norman (27-0, 21 KOs), who burst onto the scene with last May’s upset of Giovani Santillan in Santillan’s hometown of San Diego.

He now enters enemy territory again versus Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs), who is unbeaten in nine fights and known as a relentless volume puncher. Sasaki earned the title shot with January’s 12-round decision over Shoki Sakai on the Naoya Inoue-Ye Joon Kim undercard.

Norman-Sasaki and undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S. starting at 4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT. The main event is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:15 a.m. ET/4:15 a.m. PT.

This is what Norman said at Tuesday’s press conference.

Brian Norman Jr.

“This championship belt means everything to me. This opens a whole lot of doors. This is what I dreamed about since I was 7 years old. I’m 24 years old now, so just imagine how long that is. That’s 17 years. This is literally what I’ve been working for my whole life. I’m not giving it up at all. I don’t care where I’m at, I don’t care what the location is… this will forever be with me.”

“I look out here and I see the fanbase that he has. I see all the love he has received, and I respect that he’s doing his job. Now it’s time for me to do the job that I’m supposed to do as the WBO welterweight world champion.”

“Confidence is key. With Jin Sasaki saying he’s only 80 percent confident, I mean, that’s on him. But, also, he says he wants to overcome that. I respect him for being a man and actually saying that out loud and being real with everyone and himself. With me, I come to the ring every time a million percent confident and ready to go. I know the work I put in. I know the time I put in. This is not just this year. This is not just last year. This is year after year, day after day, second after second. This is what I live for. This is what I love to do.”

“Of course, we’re here in front of all these cameras, but to be real, it’s just the sport of boxing. I don’t really care about this. I just like to fight, and I will have fun in the ring come June 19.”

Thursday, June 19

 LIVE on ESPN+ (4 a.m. ET/1 a.m. PT)

Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki, 12 Rounds, Norman’s WBO Welterweight World Title

Cristian Araneta vs. Thanongsak Simsri, 12 Rounds, Vacant IBF Light Flyweight World Title

TOKYO – June 16, 2025 – Undefeated WBO Welterweight World Champion Brian “The Assassin” Norman Jr. has embraced the challenges presented by his upcoming title defense as he steps into the ring in Tokyo to take on Japanese contender Jin Sasaki this Thursday, June 19 streaming live on ESPN+ (estimated start time for main event is 7:15 a.m. ET/4:15 a.m. PT).

“I am the true definition of a ‘world’ champion,” said Norman (27-0, 21 KOs), who recently re-signed with Fighters First Management to continue guiding his career. “That’s what being a champion is about. I’m honored to showcase my talents all across the world, no matter the location or terrain.”

Having arrived in Japan weeks ago, Norman does not believe that preparing to fight outside of North America for the first time as a pro has had any hindrance on his training.

“There really hasn’t been any adjustment required, training is training no matter the location,” said Norman, who’s trained by his father Brian Norman Sr. “I’ve been doing this all my life. You don’t have to change how you walk just because you’re in another country…This camp has been amazing. I fought three months ago, so I came into this camp already sharp and in shape. I’d love to stay this active and be a true champion for the people.”

The 24-year-old Norman will take on the 23-year-old Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs), who’s undefeated since he began fighting at 147 pounds full time in 2022. Although Sasaki enters this fight on a seven-bout winning streak, Norman is confident that his studying of his opponent will allow him to leave victorious.

“I know Sasaki’s habits, techniques and anything he wants to do,” said Norman. “There’s nothing he can do to surprise me besides grow a third arm. I’m expecting him to fight harder than he ever has before because of the magnitude of this fight, but the end result will still be the same. I came with my belt and I’m leaving with my belt.”

A native of Decatur, Georgia, Norman has relished the fan following that has continued to grow as his career continues to burgeon, and promises them a satisfying ending on Thursday.

“I don’t care where I fight or who I fight, the fans always motivate me to go 10 times harder,” said Norman. “They’re the reason I train so hard. You will not be disappointed at all, even if it’s over quickly.”

After winning the title with a 10^th-round knockout of Giovani Santillan in May 2024, Norman most recently defended his belt with a third-round stoppage of Derrieck Cuevas on March 29. As he continues to show off the prodigious talent that’s made him a champion at such a young age, Norman believes he will continue his ascent and ultimately end up making a long-lasting impact in the sport.

“My main improvement since becoming champion has been my mentality, and I will keep improving on it,” said Norman. “That’s what separates the goods from the greats. I truly believe I am unstoppable and will go down in history as THAT guy.”

TOKYO (April 24, 2025) — Atlanta’s rising star is ready to defend his championship in the Land of the Rising Sun. Brian Norman Jr. will make the second defense of his WBO welterweight world title against Japanese contender Jin Sasaki on Thursday, June 19, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan.
 
It’s a nearly 7,000-mile trip for the 24-year-old Norman — boxing’s youngest male world champion — who hasn’t fought on foreign soil since 2019. The 23-year-old Sasaki, one of boxing’s emerging knockout artists, has fought all but one of his 21 pro fights in Japan.

In the co-feature, Cristian Araneta (25-2, 20 KOs) and Thanongsak Simsri (38-1, 34 KOs) will vie for the vacant IBF junior flyweight world title.
 
And, in a 12-round welterweight tilt, Japanese wunderkind Sora Tanaka (3-0, 3 KOs) will fight southpaw veteran Takeru Kobata (14-7-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant OPBF title.

Norman-Sasaki, Araneta-Simsri, and Tanaka-Kobata will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ in the U.S.
 
“Brian Norman Jr. is a motivated and talented champion who didn’t hesitate when offered this opportunity,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Jin Sasaki has power and punches in volume, and their styles will make for a dramatic, action-packed world title showdown.”

“The king from the south comes to take over the world. I like how that sounds,” Norman said. “On June 19, I’m ready to put on a stellar performance and write another triumphant chapter of ‘The Norman Experience.’”

Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) fought 13 times in Mexico early in his career, including nine times before his 18^th birthday. Those experiences set him on a path to contention, as “The Assassin” notched a string of highlight-reel knockouts before making his Top Rank debut in early 2023. After four fights without a knockout, Norman authored a massive upset last May, stopping hometown hero Giovani Santillan in 10 dramatic rounds in San Diego. The Santillan win earned Norman the WBO interim title, and he was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford moved up to junior middleweight. Following successful hand surgery, Norman defended his strap on March 29 with a third-round TKO over Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas.

Sasaki (19-1-1, 17 KOs) is unbeaten in nine fights since moving up to welterweight. He captured the WBO Asia Pacific title in January 2023 with a first-round stoppage of Ryota Toyoshima and has made five defenses of that belt. During a six-fight knockout streak from 2022 to 2024, Sasaki knocked out long-reigning Japanese champion Keita Obara and Filipino spoiler Joe Noynay, among others, as he ascended the WBO rankings. In January, he went the 12-round distance for the first time, winning a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai on the Naoya Inoue-Ye Joon Kim undercard.

Naoya Inoue stopped late-replacement Ye Joon Kim in round four to retain the Undisputed Super Bantamweight title at The Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

In round four, Inoue hurt Kim with a hard right hand. Kim begged Inoue to come on. He got what he asked for and more as Inoue Landed a big right to the body that put Kim down for the 10-count at 2:25.

Inoue, 121.7 lbs is now 30-0 with 26 knockouts. Kim, 121.7 lbs of Seoul, SK is 21-3-2.

Sasaki Decisions Sakai

Jin Sasaki won a 12-round unanimous decision over Shohi Sakai in a welterweight bout.

In round five, Sasaki was cut over his right eye.

Sasaki is now 19-1-1. Sakai, 146.2 lbs is 29-1-5-3.