WBO world welterweight champion Brian Norman 27-0, defended his title belt in Japan on Thursday against the 19-1-1 Jin Sasaki. A thudding left hook sent Sasaki to the mat in the opening minute of the first round. Sasaki beat the count but was dropped again seconds later by a Norman combination . Again, the game challenger was able to beat the count. Surprisingly enough, Sasaki performed well throughout the remainder of the round, but Norman was too strong, his punch targeting too on point, for Sasaki to do much. Indeed, the only wrinkle to Norman’s game seemed to be the fact that the American didn’t move his head much.
It was clear early in the second that Norman’s arsenal was capable of doing serious damage to the challenger. One could wonder if Sasaki would ultimately prove to be too game for his own good. With that being said, Sasaki continued moving towards the defending champion. He even landed well. He simply didn’t have the power to keep up with Norman’s power. By the third Sasaki began to truly break down under Norman’s onslaught. It was now essentially target practice for Norman. After the bell it was worth asking whether the gutsy challenger’s corner should have stopped the fight. There’s only so much damage a fighter can take, after all.
What was amazing about Norman’s performance was how disciplined the man was as the fight went on. Knowing that Sasaki was a talented, determined, and still dangerous foe, Norman continued to break this man down rather than try to rush a stoppage. Sasaki was continuing to move forward, after all. What’s more, he was swinging at Norman hard. Yet, impressive though he was, Sasaki wouldn’t be able to make it through the fifth. The challenger slipped and hit the mat early on in the round. He got up, but would soon be down again, for a left hook hit him on the jaw seconds later.
Suffice to say, that hook removed Sasaki from consciousness and sent him crashing onto his back. The referee didn’t even finish the count before stopping the fight. It was frightening to behold, especially because of the thudding sound the back of Sasaki’s head made as it hit the canvas. “He’s got heart,” Norman said admiringly of his vanquished foe afterward. “That boy is not a slouch at all. I’ve got nothing but props for him.” Norman even stated his belief that Sasaki will move on to have an excellent career. “He will be a future world champion,” Norman said.
The moment, however, belonged to the defending champion, who put his peers on notice in thunderous fashion Thursday in Japan. Norman is a world titlist for a reason, and a highly talented, devastating one at that.
*Images: Top Rank
