Brian Norman Jr. Makes Quick Work Of Cuevas, Then Calls Out 3 Champions, Ennis, Stanionis And Barrios

WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs) called out 147-lb champs Jaron Ennis, Eimantas Stanionis, and Mario Barrios following his third-round technical knockout of Derrieck Cuevas (27-2-1, 19 KOs) on Saturday night at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Las Vegas.

Easy Mark

Cuevas turned out to be an easy mark for Norman Jr, and not even at the same level as his last opponent, Giovani Santillan. He folded in the third round after being dropped by a booming left hook from Norman Jr. Cuevas then got up and walked away from the referee when he was asking him if he wanted to continue fighting.

“I’m going full blast for all of y’all. Not at all,” said Brian Norman Jr. to the media when asked if he was buzzed by a shot from Derriek Cuevas in the first round on Saturday night. “You saw that everything he hit me with, I come back with something. I made it look easy. I’m only getting better. I’m 24. I want you to recognize that.”

The ESPN commentators were making it seem like Norman Jr. had been hurt in the first round, but it appeared they were just doing that to create fake interest in the fight. Norman Jr. didn’t appear hurt by any of Cuevas’ shots in the first round. Tim Bradley was making it seem like he was staggered, which wasn’t the case.

“It was a power jab. I came out too tight and tense. After a while, I let my hands go,” said Norman about a shot he was hitting Cuevas with. “It was a straight jab right down the pipe. I knew for a fact that the jab was the bread and butter. You get more leverage with the right hand.

No Waiting

“There’s other belts out there and other champions out there. So until I’m on top, I can’t say nothing. I’m not going to wait on nobody,” said Norman Jr. when asked if he’s going to wait on the outcome of the Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis unification fight before he looks to select his next opponent.

“Barrios is over in the corner, hiding, doing his own thing. Where’s he at? I’m trying to get that belt up from off him. Get the belt off him and then go undisputed against the winner of the April 12th fight. I’m the Assassin. Once I sign the contract, my eyes are only on you,” said Norman Jr.