WBO welterweight champion leaves rival unconscious with brutal ‘KO of the year' contender

BRIAN NORMAN JR scored one of the knockouts of the year during a championship fight.
The 24-year-old was fighting to retain his WBO welterweight title against Jin Sasaki in Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday.
Advertisement
3
Brian Norman Jr landed the knockout of the year in a WBO welterweight title fight against Jin Sasaki
Credit: X formerly Twitter / @trboxing
3
The American scored a left hook right in his opponents face
Credit: X formerly Twitter / @trboxing
3
It left Sasaki flattened on the canvas for over a minute
Credit: X formerly Twitter / @trboxing
And during round five, The Assassin II landed a brutal left hook squarely on his opponent's face as he left his guard down.
Norman Jr had managed to knock down his Japanese rival twice in the opening stages.
However, his round five hit saw Sasaki left flattened on the canvas.
Medical staff rushed into the ring to treat the 23-year-old as he was laid out for over a minute.
Advertisement
READ MORE IN BOXING
He was then placed on a stretcher and rushed to hospital. A status update on him was not provided in the immediate aftermath of contest.
Reacting to the punch on social media, one boxing fan said: "Ko of the year."
A second said: "This has to be ko of the year so far right?"
A third added: "Man…that is CLEAN."
Advertisement
Most read in Boxing
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
Another said: "Perfect KO punch."
The win saw Norman Jr improve to 28-0 with this being his 22nd knockout.
Rare footage re-emerges of 19-year-old Tyson Fury brutally knocking out rival and leaving him in crumpled heap
Norman Jr became the interim WBO welterweight champion after beating Giovani Santillan last May.
Advertisement
He was then elevated to full champion status when
Derrieck Cuevas challenged for the belt in March of this year but was also defeated by Norman Jr via TKO.
Meanwhile, Sasaki - a relatively unknown quantity going into the bout - fell to 19-2-1, having previously been stopped in 2021 by Andy Hiraoka in a Japanese superlightweight title fight.
Norman Jr now has his eyes set on unification bouts for the division.
Advertisement
An all-American fight with IBF and WBA champion Jaron Ennis had been on the cards until Ennis declared his intention to move up to 154lbs.
Speaking about a potential clash with Ennis, Norman Jr had said: "About the future, I wish I had a certain fight coming up, but they heard there was a storm coming."
"And you all know what happens when a storm is coming, you grab your boots and run.
"We shall see what is next for me. Hopefully October or November, we can get something, but we shall see."
Advertisement

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Irish Examiner

20 minutes ago

• Irish Examiner

West reawakes: Tipp greats English and Fox delight at division's revival

Last year, it seemed West Tipperary hurling had hit a nadir when no senior final took place for the first time in living memory. There was no opposition for Clonoulty-Rossmore, winners of the eight previous divisional senior titles. It had been hoped a combination of lower-grade clubs in the region would come together to form a team, but there was no interest. Cashel King Cormacs, who they had beaten comprehensively in the 2023 final, later went onto win the county's intermediate crown and will present Clonoulty-Rossmore with a challenge this year. However, the break in a storied competition going back nearly 100 years was a sad one. Tales about the thousands who flocked to the west matches are legendary but not to younger generations who - conditioned by the demise of the competition - believe them to be tall. 'Thank God Cashel have become senior to make a competition of West Tipperary this year because it had been desperate the last few years,' says Tipperary great Pat Fox of Éire Óg-Annacarty. 'For five years, Clonoulty and Éire Óg were playing in one game, the final, which was unbelievable really. We couldn't imagine that from our time when we had eight or nine senior teams in West Tipperary hurling, which was fantastic and the crowds were huge. Emigration would have played its part in the decline. We've been starved, to be honest.' Tipperary's Eoghan Connolly contests possession with Robbie Cotter and Brian Hayes of Cork. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Fox's great partner Nicky English agrees. 'The drop in numbers and less clubs has been a massive factor. There have been several amalgamations like my own Lattin-Cullen with Aherlow. 'I'm not sure it has anything to do with how other sports are faring in the area. You have St Michael's soccer club doing well in Tipp town but there just haven't been the numbers in the rural areas.' Between 1987 and '91, a club from the west featured in four of the five senior Tipperary finals, winning three of them. Since then, only Clonoulty-Rossmore (1997 and 2018) have lifted the Dan Breen Cup. Inter-county-wise, that period in the late 1980s was as much a halcyon one for the region as Fox, Bonnar and English lit up the county's full-forward line and another four West Tipp men populated three other lines in the 1989 All-Ireland winning team. From seven in that Babs Keating team, the west's proportion had diminished to zero in 2010 when Liam Sheedy matched English's achievement of bringing back the Liam MacCarthy Cup to Tipperary for the first time in nine years. Defender Conor O'Brien from Fox's club came off the bench to ensure they weren't left out but there was no west man who saw action in the 2016 final success and like O'Brien Ger Browne was a used substitute three years later. However, there are fires being lit around Cashel, Dundrum and Tipperary town again. In Limerick on Saturday, there will be four west men in Liam Cahill's squad – Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore), Eoghan Connolly and Oisín O'Donoghue (Cashel King Cormacs) and Johnny Ryan (Arravale Rovers). A third of the recent All-Ireland U20 winning team under Brendan Cummins hail from the division – Eoin Horgan and Adam Daly (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams), Adam Ryan (Arravale Rovers), Conor Martin (Cappawhite) and O'Donoghue. Also on the bench was David Ryan, brother of senior panellist Johnny, who was an All-Ireland winning minor last year with his club-mate Adam Ryan and Darragh O'Hora from Solohead. 'When we won the U21 All-Ireland in '81, there was Johnny Farrell in goals, (Pat) Fox was corner-back, Mark McGrath, Ger O'Neill, Austin Buckley and myself from West Tipp,' recalls English. 'Then you had the '82 All-Ireland minor winning team that had the likes of John Kennedy, Colm Bonnar and John Leamy, so it's taken a long time to come around again. The West Tipp representation was borne out of those teams and a 1980 minor team, which was unusual at the time. The signs are positive once more.' The first Harty Cup success in their history, Cashel Community College's achievement against Thurles CBS two years pointed to foundations being laid for the future. Ten of the starters including Daly and O'Donoghue were from West Tipperary clubs. Hours before he is involved against Galway on Saturday, O'Donoghue's younger brother Cormac and first cousin Jamesie will be part of the Cashel King Cormacs team representing the county in the Féile in Ferns, Co Wexford. Cashel publican Fox never expects what happened in his playing days to be repeated but to have a healthier local involvement is huge. 'That was the height of it, I'd imagine. We never saw anything like that and it probably won't be the same again unless something drastic happens but there are some green shoots. Young Connolly, O'Donoghue and Doyle are giving us something to cheer about and that's all you want.' GOING WEST From a record seven players on Tipperary's All-Ireland SHC winning team of 1989, including the entire full-forward line, the west division's numbers dwindled in subsequent victorious seasons. However, there are four on Saturday's match-day panel, two starting against Galway, with the prospect of more: 2019 0. Used substitute: Ger Browne (Knockavilla-Donaskeigh Kickhams/Cashel King Cormacs). 2016 0 2010 0. Used substitute Conor O'Brien (Éire Óg-Annacarty-Donohill). 2001 3 – Thomas Costello (Cappawhite); Eugene O'Neill (same); Declan Ryan (Clonoulty-Rossmore). 1991 6 - Conal Bonnar (Cashel King Cormacs); Colm Bonnar (same); Declan Ryan; Pat Fox (Éire Óg-Annacarty); Cormac Bonnar (Cashel King Cormacs); Nicky English (Lattin-Cullen). 1989 7 – Conal Bonnar; John Kennedy (Clonoulty-Rossmore); Colm Bonnar; Declan Ryan; Pat Fox; Cormac Bonnar; Nicky English. Used substitute: Joe Hayes (Clonoulty-Rossmore).

Irish Daily Mirror

37 minutes ago

• Irish Daily Mirror

GAA fans furious ahead of bumper weekend of All-Ireland action

As another bumper weekend of GAA action approaches, fans have been taking to social media to voice their anger over which games are being televised on free-to-air TV and which are being shown on GAA+. RTE will televise the two All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-finals of Dublin v Limerick and Galway v Tipperary on Saturday. The broadcaster will also show the Tailteann Cup semi-finals as Wicklow face Limerick and Kildare take on Fermanagh on Sunday. However, it is the decision to show the four All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-finals on GAA+ that is angering supporters ahead of the weekend, with three of the top four in the outright Championship betting in action. Kerry host Cavan at Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday afternoon before the evening meeting of Dublin and Cork at Croke Park. Then on Sunday, Down host Galway in Newry before the clash of Donegal and Louth in Ballybofey. "Dublin v Cork, football's biggest game of the weekend, is on a subscription channel online Sat. It's on at the same time as the biggest hurling game of the weekend on RTE. They couldn't get less people to watch the biggest football game of the weekend if they tried," stated one fan. Another asked: "Where are the important gaelic football matches ,also known as the Preliminary Quarter Finals been Televised, Not on free to Air?" Someone else said: "Taking all the big games this weekend, @rte and you wonder why numbers are declining . Absolute disgrace especially when your buffing the weekend schedule with re runs of west side story & all creatures great and small." "An absolute disgrace by the GAA to put the Dublin vs. Cork match on GAA+," read another comment. LIVE GAA ON TV AND STREAMING THIS WEEKEND Saturday June 21 All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-Finals Kerry v Cavan, Fitzgerald Stadium, 3.30pm, GAA+Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 6.15pm, GAA+ All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Finals Limerick v Dublin, Croke Park, 4pm, RTEGalway v Tipperary, TUS Gaelic Grounds, 6.15pm, RTE Sunday June 22 All-Ireland SFC Preliminary Quarter-FinalsDonegal v Louth, Ballybofey, 4pm, GAA+Down v Galway, Pairc Esler, 1.45pm, GAA+ Tailteann Cup Semi-Finals Limerick v Wicklow, Croke Park, 2pm, RTEKildare v Fermanagh, Croke Park, 4pm, RTE

RTÉ News​

an hour ago

• RTÉ News​

The Championship: Knockouts get serious in both codes

joins Damian Lawlor to assess the weekend's preliminary quarter-finals in the All-Ireland football championship. Galway's trip to Down is probably the pick of the four football games, while Kerry seek to bounce back from last weekend's wobble at home to Cavan. In the other two fixtures, Cork face Dublin in Croke Park, while Louth make the arduous journey to Ballybofey to face Donegal. It's All-Ireland hurling quarter-final weekend, with John Kiely's Limerick heavy favourites against Dublin in Croke Park, while long-time foes Tipperary and Galway face off yet again at this stage of the competition in the Gaelic Grounds. Waterford's three-time All-Star Noel Connors previews both games, while Limerick's Cian Lynch and Galway's Fintan Burke chat ahead of both games. Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday and Sunday on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm and The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Watch the All-Ireland Hurling Championship quarter-finals, Limerick v Dublin and Galway v Tipperary, on Saturday from 3.30pm. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game at 9.15pm. Watch the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, Wicklow v Limerick and Fermanagh v Kildare, on Sunday from 1.30pm. Follow a live blog on and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm.