The WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. is looking to make the first defense of his WBO title since being elevated to full champion last year. He will be stepping into the ring against Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas. This comes after Terence Crawford was forced to vacate the belt in his pursuit of the super middleweight king Canelo Alvarez, who Crawford will fight in September.
Regardless, this gives Norman Jr. the opportunity to get his name among the best in the division with the likes of Jaron Ennis and new entrants like Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney. However, the question of the hour is, can the 24-year-old secure a win over his Puerto Rican opponent on 29th March at the Fontainebleau Arena in Las Vegas? Let’s look at their work thus far to figure that out.
Predicting Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas: Who has better stats and record?
Norman Jr. enters this fight riding the momentum of a dominant 10th-round knockout victory over Giovani Santillan in May of last year, where he claimed the WBA ‘Interim’ title. Throughout his career, he has consistently overwhelmed mid-tier opposition, maintaining an unblemished record. However, leading up to the Santillan fight, there were signs of a slight slowdown, as Norman went the distance in three consecutive unanimous decision wins —a departure from his trademark knockout finishes.
Currently, ‘The Assassin II’ boasts an impressive record of 26-0, with 20 victories coming by way of knockout. On the other hand, this will mark Cuevas’ first shot at a world title—a potential disadvantage due to his lack of championship-level experience. Ranked No. 13 in the WBA welterweight division, Cuevas holds a solid record of 27-1-1 with 19 knockouts. His only loss came in December 2020 against Argentina’s Damian Ezequiel Bonelli, a fighter with a modest 24-14 record.
While Cuevas has since rebounded with four straight knockout wins, the quality of his opposition remains questionable. Not to mention, he hasn’t fought during the entirety of 2024. Against a proven power puncher like Norman Jr., that lack of top-tier experience and inactivity could prove costly. As a result, Norman Jr. stands as the clear favorite, with the most likely outcome being a knockout victory in the later rounds.
Norman Jr. vs. Cuevas height, weight, reach comparison, and more
While Norman Jr. is favored to win the fight, upsets aren’t anything new in the sport, especially if Cuevas has the attributes to make it happen. In terms of height, the Puerto Rican has a slight advantage, 5′ 9″ (175cm) compared to Norman’s 5′ 8″ (173cm). Meanwhile, details about Cuevas’ reach are currently unavailable, while Norman’s wingspan measures 72″ /183cm.
This doesn’t give either boxer a clear advantage over the other. As for their weight, only the final weigh-ins will reveal whether either fighter will have an advantage in that department. Otherwise, both Norman and Cuevas have experience in fighting at welterweight and super welterweight divisions, so making weight should not be an issue for them.
Having said that, Brian Norman Jr. should be able to pull off another win come Saturday night in Las Vegas. His level of opponents and frequency of fights overshadow Cuevas’, which should give him an edge. Do you agree? Or do you think Derrieck Cuevas will create an upset?
The post Brian Norman Jr. vs. Derrieck Cuevas Comparison and Prediction: Record, Age, Height, Reach, Weight, and Knockout Ratio appeared first on EssentiallySports.
