- Brian Norman Jr. defends his WBO welterweight title against Jin Sasaki on June 19 in Japan.
- This will be Norman Jr.’s first defense of his title since winning it last March.
- Norman Jr. is the -455 betting favorite, and Sasaki is the +350 betting underdog.
Undefeated American boxing champion Brian Norman Jr. defends his WBO welterweight crown for the first time since winning it against Japanese challenger Jin Sasaki on June 19 at the Ota-City General Gymnasium in Japan.
Due to his perfect professional record, Norman Jr. heads into the match as the betting favorite with -455 boxing odds. Meanwhile, Sasakin, the hometown bet, is going to be the +350 betting underdog.
Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki Odds
- Brian Norman Jr.: -455
- Jin Sasaki: +350
- Tie: +1800
Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki: Prediction
This championship match between Norman Jr. and Sasaki is a battle between power punchers. But I predict Norman Jr. will finish Sasaki via TKO/KO in under six rounds because he’s the more refined boxer and throws more combinations.
Norman Jr. sets up his combinations with his vicious left hook that stuns his opponents whenever it lands. Once he lands this, he fires more combinations to the head and body with precision and power, which marks the beginning of the end for his opponents.
His favorite combination is a left hook to cross that catches his opponents every time because it goes through the guard after they block his left hook. I project this to be the same combination he’ll use to score another impressive victory in hostile territory.
Meanwhile, Sasaki also has incredible power in his punches, but his main problem is that he doesn’t follow it up with combinations and relies heavily on a one-punch knockout finish to get the job done. This strategy isn’t sustainable, especially at this championship level.
Brian Norman Jr.’s Recent Fight Results
Norman Jr. made his debut in the professional ranks in January 2018, where he TKO’d Kire Lucas in the opening round of their match. Since then, he went undefeated and swept his next 26 matches.
His world title breakthrough came in May 2024, when he fought Giovanni Santillan via 10th-round knockout to capture the WBO interim world welterweight title. Ten months later, he became the WBO welterweight champion after a third-round TKO win over Derrieck Cuevas.
Jin Sasaki’s Recent Fight Results
Sasaki is a national and regional boxing champion, having captured multiple minor boxing titles, such as the Japan Boxing Commission super lightweight belt, the WBO Asia Pacific super lightweight belt, the WBO Asia Pacific welterweight belt, and the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation welterweight belt.
He’s riding an eight-fight win streak, and his upcoming championship showdown against Norman Jr. will be the biggest bout of his young career. It’s his first major world title match, and he hopes to win in front of his home crowd in Japan.
Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki: Tale of the Tape
| Brian Norman Jr. | Jin Sasaki | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 24 | 23 |
| Height | 5’8” | 5’8 ½” |
| Record | 27-0 | 19-1-1 |
| Reach | 72 inches | 69.5 inches |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| TKO/KO Percentage | 78% | 89% |
Brian Norman Jr. vs. Jin Sasaki: Start Time
June 19, 7 a.m. E.T.
June 19, 6 a.m. C.T.
June 19, 5 a.m. M.T.
June 19, 4 a.m. P.T.
